California plastic surgeon attends court while in surgery
Mar 1, 2021, 12:00 PM | Updated: 12:00 pm
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A California plastic surgeon may be in hot water after he attended his Zoom court hearing on Thursday to contest a traffic violation while performing surgery on a patient.
Instead of showing up to the virtual court hearing from his office though, he showed up in the operating room.
“It kind of looks like you’re in an operating room right now,” a Sacramento Superior Court Clerk said as Dr. Scott Green joined the video call.
“I am, sir,” Green replied. “Yes, I’m in an operating room right now. I’m available for trial. Go right ahead.”
With his scrubs, surgical cap and gloves on Dr. Scott Green was sworn in to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth by raising his surgical glove, which appeared to have blood on it.
While waiting for the judge, a patient could be seen lying on the surgical table in video of the trial obtained by the Sacramento Bee where machines can be heard beeping in the background.
Judge reschedules court trial during surgery
As the judge arrives, Green can be seen moving surgical instruments and actively operating on his patient.
“So unless I’m mistaken, I’m seeing a defendant that’s in the middle of an operating room, appearing to be actively engaged in providing services to a patient. Is that correct, Mr. Green? Or should I say Dr. Green?” Sacramento Superior Court Commissioner Gary Link said.
“Yes sir,” Green confirmed.
“I do not feel comfortable for the welfare of a patient if you’re in the process of operating, that I would put on a trial,” he said.
Green told the court that everything was under control and that he had another surgeon working with him.
Link, however, thought it best to reschedule the court hearing when the doctor wasn’t in surgery.
“I don’t think that’s appropriate. I’m going to come up with a different date, when you’re not actively involved or participating and attending to the needs of a patient. Let me see if I can get a different date here.”
Green apologized, but the court date was rescheduled for another day in March.
The Sacramento Bee says that the Medical Board of California said they would look into the event in a statement Friday saying they, “expect physicians to follow the standard of care when treating their patients.”
