Judge Roy Ferguson's warning comes after lawyer Rod Ponton accidentally joined a video court hearing while using a Zoom filter that made him appear like a fluffy white kitten.

"I'm here live. I'm not a cat," Ponton said.

"I can see that," replied Ferguson, whose district covers five counties in West Texas.

The short video clip, which was shared online by Ferguson, ends with others coaching Ponton on how to remove the cat filter.

The judge said on Twitter: "These fun moments are a by-product of the legal profession's dedication to ensuring that the justice system continues to function in these tough times. Everyone involved handled it with dignity, and the filtered lawyer showed incredible grace. True professionalism all around!"

A re-post of the video to Twitter now has more than six million views.

Australian Associated Press