A US judge has rebuked the callous family of a woman on trial for driving drunk and killing another driver - for laughing in court.

Michigan judge Qiana Lillard heard giggling from the family of 25-year-old Amanda Kosal who drove drunk and crashed head-on into another car, killing Jerome Zirker and critically injuring his fiancee Brittany Johnson.

The laughter came while Mr Zirker's family read victim impact statements.

"Whoever can sit here at a tragic moment like this and laugh and smile when somebody has lost a family member... in the entire time that Mr Zirker's sister was speaking, that clown... was sitting there smiling and laughing," Judge Lillard said.

"And you can go, too," she added, pointing to Kosal's mother, Donna.

"Because if you don't know how to act, you can go to jail. So leave.

"This is a court of law, and these are very serious matters," she said to Kosal's family.

"These people are here grieving, saddened because a senseless act took away their loved one, and you're sitting here acting like it's a joke?"

"Not in Courtroom 502. Not today and not any other day," Judge Lillard declared.

Video shows a court officer escort Kosal's mother from the room as the judge says she'd be taken into custody for criminal contempt.

"Your disruptive and disrespectful behaviour disrupted today's proceedings and you, ma'am, are going to the Wayne County Jail for 93 days," she said.

Amanda Kosal was sentenced to three to 15 years in prison for the fatal drunk driving crash.

Her mother reappeared in court on Friday, apologised and reportedly had her sentence reduced to one day in jail.

On Saturday, Judge Lillard shared her thanks on Facebook to the millions of people who watched the video of the court proceedings.

"Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to visit this page to express your feelings," she wrote.

"I am honored to have the privilege of serving the citizens of Wayne County."

Newshub.