FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Broward County judge that has been charged with deciding who gets Anna Nicole Smith's body is raising the ire of critics who say is grandstanding and that he is making comments that are "unprofessional and inappropriate."

"The way he talked about Anna Nicole Smith and her body, totally inappropriate," said Nancy Grace of CNN.

"I'm not releasing this body. This body belongs to me now," Judge Larry Seidlin told those present in the Broward County courtroom Thursday.

When asked about the condition of Smith's body, Seidlin said:

"It's cold, but it won't decompose so fast. That baby is on [cq] a cold, cold storage room. It's not decaying so fast. I can go over there now and look at it. I can go back in a month and still look at it. So there's no rush. We're not rushing," Seidlin told a roomful of lawyers and a weepy Vergie Arthur, Smith's mother.

The judge is also getting media attention for the laughter that he elicits during the proceedings and how he personally chats with many of the lawyers, which makes for an uncomfortable scene, Local 10 reported.

"It think that Judge Seidlin is trying to do what I think is probably the impossible in this case. He's trying to get three lawyers who are fighting over various issues to all agree on every point and it's just not going to happen," said Mark Dobson, Nova Law professor.

Local 10 caught up with Seidlin and asked him about the attention he's getting because of his style.

"We're trying to show the community that we are running a dignified court system. And I think it's coming across, I hope," said Seidlin.

Local 10 reporter Jeff Weinsier ask the judge about the reaction to his colorful comments.

"It's live action. We hope it's all running smoothly," he said.

Weinsier then ask him if he regretted any of his harsh comments.

"It's live and I hope it all works out well," said Seidlin.

Many people interviewed by Local 10 who have worked with Seidlin didn't want to be identified because of a code of conduct, but they say he is "very chatty" and they weren't "surprised" by his comments.

Seidlin, 56, of Fort Lauderdale, has been on the bench in Broward County for 29 years. He told Local 10 that the Smith case was the biggest he's ever covered.