From State v. Wright, a recent appellate opinion:

Defendant cites several incidents in which he argues the trial judge's extraneous comments to his counsel were improper and deprived him of a fair and impartial trial. The following took place in front of the jury:

Defense counsel: 

Okay

Court:            

Excuse me, what did you just say? Excuse me. I asked you a question. What did you just say?

Defense counsel:

I said okay, Your Honor, under my breath.

Court: 

Well, if it was under your breath, why was I able to hear it, and also the Court Reporter. I don't know what to do, Mr. Thompson. I have done everything I can possibly do, except endyour cross examination. We're not moving along. Whatever you need to do, as I have now told you three times, whatever you need to do to help yourself not do that, do it.

When defense counsel began to formulate a question in front of the jury, the trial judge interrupted him, and the following conversation transpired:

Defense counsel: 

Yes, Your Honor.

Court: 

This is the way a question would go. For example: Isn't it true that you asked her what clothes: Did you take off? What were you wearing on Friday? You are just reading the question, and it's a statement. And there's no question for the Sergeant to answer.

Defense counsel:

I apologize, Your Honor. I thought the inflection.

Court:            

I don't think I asked you for any explanation. I don't think I desire to hear any. Just try and do it right and move along.

***

Court:

She's already indicated through her testimony. We're not going to beat a defunct equine. Okay. She's already testified that she did not call in any crime scene people whatever. So do you have another question you want to ask? Do you have any other questions?

Defense counsel:

May I have one second?

Court:

You've had your second.

The jury had been dismissed from the court room and the trial judge called for the jury to be escorted back in when this exchange took place, prior to the jury returning.

Defense counsel:

May I be heard?

Court:

Sit down, Mr. Thompson. I am tired of your cavalier attitude and your feeling that whatever you want to do in a courtroom is okay. It's not.

***

Court: 

Madame Court Reporter, take the following please. Yesterday on numerous occasions, the Court had to ask Mr. Craig Thompson to stop saying okay at the end of every witness's answer. In spite of the court's admonition and request, he continued to do so. He continues to do so today. The Court finds that Mr. Thompson for the defendant has intentionally and purposely pretended ignorance at what the Court was telling him with a meanest look on face as if he didn't understand. I did not ask for a response fromyou, sir. Today the court sat here and did not once ask him to stop saying okay, although he continued to do it. Although he now continues to make faces while the court's speaking. Sir, you're not going to speak. You can just sit back and stop using your body language to interrupt me. It is rude, discourteous, uncivil and contemptuous. You might do well to listen to what people say instead of planning your response.

***

Court: 

There are several options open to the Court. The Court does not plan at this time to cite any of the attorneys for contempt, but the Court believes if the attorneys cannot comply with the rules of law and are going to continually act bemused, and confused as if they don't understand what it means, they subject themselves to that. If you don't know when you're saying okay at the end of a sentence, then learn to find out, because if a Judge tells you to stop doing it, you stop doing it. When I sat in that chair, if a judge told me to stop doing it, I stopped doing it. And you're no more above the law than anyone else, and you've been warned.

During direct examination of ..., a witness for Defendant, the following exchange ensued in the presence of the jury:

Court: 

No. What did you just say?

Defense counsel:

I asked him if he recalled what day ...

Court: 

What did you just say? I think that you ...

Defense counsel:

I said “okay,” Your Honor. I apologize, Your Honor.

Court: 

Exactly. It's not my job to draw it to your attention, sir.

Defense counsel:    

Your Honor, I apologize for apparently an unfortunate speech habit that I've had for a number of years.

Court:

Ladies and gentleman of the jury, please step to the jury room. Don't discuss ...

The Jury exited the court room and Judge (Evelyn) Hill stated:

Court:

 Madame Clerk, take the following, I mean Madame Court Reporter. I am 54 almost 55 years old. I have practiced law since 1979. I have practiced law for 21 years as a trial attorney in Superior Court before numerous Superior Court Judges including but not limited to James H. Pugh Bailey . . . to name justa few. I was taught as a trial attorney to show respect to the court and to follow the court's directions whether I agreed with them or not, whether I thought they were reasonable or not. When a Superior Court Judge for whatever reason points out to a litigant a certain behavior, whether it's clicking a pen, chewing gum, saying okay at the end of every witness's answer, my experience has been that I, as a litigant and the vast majority of the litigants with whom I practice law and have appeared before me, make some effort to comply with what the Court has asked. To make matters worse in this case, Mr. Thompson has by his facial expressions questioned whether he's even said the things that I've said he said, and has actually yesterday questioned that he did say them. At this point, I feel that there's no point in me even trying to communicate about this with Mr. Thompson, since he shrugs it off cavalierly as quote “ an unfortunate speech habit.” Therefore, he can't possibly be responsible for it. I asked yesterday, I asked again yesterday, I asked a third time yesterday, I asked again today and I have pointed it out today, and I even stopped at the end of question to ask him to see whether ornot he realized what he was doing. But clearly Mr. Thompson's message to the Court is this is an unfortunate speech habit. Get over it, judge. So I'm not going to point it out again. I'm going to keep count. And at the end of trial, it will be a hundred dollar fine for each time you do it. And we can use the Court Reporter's notes to go back and see if you did it. But I won't bother anymore to point it out. Bring the jury back in please

Defense counsel:    

Judge, may I have, may I be heard briefly?

Court:

I'm sorry.

Defense counsel:

May I be heard briefly?

Court:

No, sir.

Note: According to the Defense brief, the trial transcript shows that the prosecutor said O.K. 279 times while defense counsel said it 122 times.  Also, the fine was not actually imposed.