diff --git a/courtroom.cpp b/courtroom.cpp
index 3abe83c..2bd909b 100644
--- a/courtroom.cpp
+++ b/courtroom.cpp
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ Courtroom::Courtroom(AOApplication *p_ao_app) : QMainWindow()
   ui_ic_chatlog = new QPlainTextEdit(this);
   ui_ic_chatlog->setReadOnly(true);
 
-  ui_ms_chatlog = new QTextBrowser(this);
+  ui_ms_chatlog = new AOTextArea(this);
   ui_ms_chatlog->setReadOnly(true);
   ui_ms_chatlog->setOpenExternalLinks(true);
   ui_ms_chatlog->hide();
@@ -723,42 +723,9 @@ void Courtroom::list_music()
   }
 }
 
-void Courtroom::append_ms_chatmessage(QString f_message)
+void Courtroom::append_ms_chatmessage(QString f_name, QString f_message)
 {
-  const QTextCursor old_cursor = ui_ms_chatlog->textCursor();
-  const int old_scrollbar_value = ui_ms_chatlog->verticalScrollBar()->value();
-  const bool is_scrolled_down = old_scrollbar_value == ui_ms_chatlog->verticalScrollBar()->maximum();
-
-  ui_ms_chatlog->moveCursor(QTextCursor::End);
-
-  QStringList word_list = f_message.split(" ");
-
-  for (QString i_word : word_list)
-  {
-    if (i_word.startsWith("http"))
-    {
-      i_word.replace("\n", "").replace("\r", "");
-      ui_ms_chatlog->insertHtml("<a href=\"" + i_word + "\">" + i_word + "</a> ");
-    }
-    else
-      ui_ms_chatlog->insertPlainText(i_word + " ");
-  }
-
-  //ui_ms_chatlog->append(f_message);
-  ui_ms_chatlog->insertPlainText("\n");
-
-  if (old_cursor.hasSelection() || !is_scrolled_down)
-  {
-      // The user has selected text or scrolled away from the bottom: maintain position.
-      ui_ms_chatlog->setTextCursor(old_cursor);
-      ui_ms_chatlog->verticalScrollBar()->setValue(old_scrollbar_value);
-  }
-  else
-  {
-      // The user hasn't selected any text and the scrollbar is at the bottom: scroll to the bottom.
-      ui_ms_chatlog->moveCursor(QTextCursor::End);
-      ui_ms_chatlog->verticalScrollBar()->setValue(ui_ms_chatlog->verticalScrollBar()->maximum());
-  }
+  ui_ms_chatlog->append_chatmessage(f_name, f_message);
 }
 
 void Courtroom::append_server_chatmessage(QString p_name, QString p_message)
@@ -775,7 +742,8 @@ void Courtroom::on_chat_return_pressed()
       objection_state == 0)
     return;
 
-  //MS#chat#
+  //MS#
+  //deskmod#
   //pre-emote#
   //character#
   //emote#
@@ -1288,9 +1256,6 @@ void Courtroom::play_sfx()
     return;
 
   sfx_player->play(sfx_name + ".wav");
-
-  //T0D0: add audio implementation
-  //QString sfx_name = m_chatmessage[SFX_NAME];
 }
 
 void Courtroom::set_scene()
@@ -1299,66 +1264,74 @@ void Courtroom::set_scene()
     show_testimony();
 
   //witness is default if pos is invalid
-  QString f_image = "witnessempty.png";
-
-  QString f_side = m_chatmessage[SIDE];
+  QString f_background = "witnessempty.png";
+  QString f_desk_image = "stand.png";
   QString f_desk_mod = m_chatmessage[DESK_MOD];
+  QString f_side = m_chatmessage[SIDE];
 
   if (f_side == "def")
-    f_image = "defenseempty.png";
-  else if (f_side == "pro")
-    f_image = "prosecutorempty.png";
-  else if (f_side == "jud")
-    f_image = "judgestand.png";
-  else if (f_side == "hld")
-    f_image = "helperstand.png";
-  else if (f_side == "hlp")
-    f_image = "prohelperstand.png";
-
-  ui_vp_background->set_image(f_image);
-
-  //we're done if deskmod is 0 or the deskmod is chat and it's a nondesk side
-  if (f_desk_mod == "0" ||
-     (f_desk_mod == "chat" && (f_side == "hlp" || f_side == "hld" || f_side == "jud")))
   {
-    ui_vp_desk->hide();
-    ui_vp_legacy_desk->hide();
-    return;
-  }
-
-  if (is_ao2_bg)
-  {
-    QString desk_image = "stand.png";
-
-    if (f_side == "def")
-      desk_image = "defensedesk.png";
-    else if (f_side == "pro")
-      desk_image = "prosecutiondesk.png";
-
-    ui_vp_desk->set_image(desk_image);
-    ui_vp_legacy_desk->hide();
-    ui_vp_desk->show();
-  }
-  else if (f_side == "def" || f_side == "pro")
-  {
-    QString desk_image;
-
-    if (f_side == "def")
-      desk_image = "bancodefensa.png";
+    f_background = "defenseempty.png";
+    if (is_ao2_bg)
+      f_desk_image = "defensedesk.png";
     else
-      desk_image = "bancoacusacion.png";
-
-    ui_vp_legacy_desk->set_legacy_desk(desk_image);
-    ui_vp_desk->hide();
-    ui_vp_legacy_desk->show();
+      f_desk_image = "bancodefensa.png";
+  }
+  else if (f_side == "pro")
+  {
+    f_background = "prosecutorempty.png";
+    if (is_ao2_bg)
+      f_desk_image = "prosecutiondesk.png";
+    else
+      f_desk_image = "bancoacusacion.png";
+  }
+  else if (f_side == "jud")
+  {
+    f_background = "judgestand.png";
+    f_desk_image = "judgedesk.png";
+  }
+  else if (f_side == "hld")
+  {
+    f_background = "helperstand.png";
+    f_desk_image = "helperdesk.png";
+  }
+  else if (f_side == "hlp")
+  {
+    f_background = "prohelperstand.png";
+    f_desk_image = "prohelperdesk.png";
   }
-  //assume wit or invalid side
   else
   {
-    ui_vp_desk->set_image("estrado.png");
+    if (is_ao2_bg)
+      f_desk_image = "stand.png";
+    else
+      f_desk_image = "estrado.png";
+  }
+
+  ui_vp_background->set_image(f_background);
+  ui_vp_desk->set_image(f_desk_image);
+  ui_vp_legacy_desk->set_image(f_desk_image);
+
+  if (f_desk_mod == "0" || (f_desk_mod != "1" &&
+           (f_side == "jud" ||
+            f_side == "hld" ||
+            f_side == "hlp")))
+  {
+    ui_vp_desk->hide();
+    ui_vp_legacy_desk->hide();
+  }
+  else if (is_ao2_bg || (f_side == "jud" ||
+                         f_side == "hld" ||
+                         f_side == "hlp"))
+  {
     ui_vp_legacy_desk->hide();
     ui_vp_desk->show();
   }
+  else
+  {
+    ui_vp_desk->hide();
+    ui_vp_legacy_desk->show();
+  }
 }
 
 void Courtroom::set_text_color()
diff --git a/courtroom.h b/courtroom.h
index d617bd8..3bafbdc 100644
--- a/courtroom.h
+++ b/courtroom.h
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ public:
   void enter_courtroom(int p_cid);
   void list_music();
 
-  void append_ms_chatmessage(QString f_message);
+  void append_ms_chatmessage(QString f_name, QString f_message);
   void append_server_chatmessage(QString p_name, QString p_message);
 
   void handle_chatmessage(QStringList *p_contents);
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ private:
 
   QPlainTextEdit *ui_ic_chatlog;
 
-  QTextBrowser *ui_ms_chatlog;
+  AOTextArea *ui_ms_chatlog;
   AOTextArea *ui_server_chatlog;
 
   QListWidget *ui_mute_list;
diff --git a/lobby.cpp b/lobby.cpp
index 0ded1fb..7c8f08f 100644
--- a/lobby.cpp
+++ b/lobby.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ Lobby::Lobby(AOApplication *p_ao_app) : QMainWindow()
   ui_server_list = new QListWidget(this);
   ui_player_count = new QLabel(this);
   ui_description = new QPlainTextEdit(this);
-  ui_chatbox = new QTextBrowser(this);
+  ui_chatbox = new AOTextArea(this);
   ui_chatbox->setOpenExternalLinks(true);
   ui_chatname = new QLineEdit(this);
   ui_chatname->setPlaceholderText("Name");
@@ -352,42 +352,9 @@ void Lobby::list_favorites()
   }
 }
 
-void Lobby::append_chatmessage(QString f_message)
+void Lobby::append_chatmessage(QString f_name, QString f_message)
 {
-  const QTextCursor old_cursor = ui_chatbox->textCursor();
-  const int old_scrollbar_value = ui_chatbox->verticalScrollBar()->value();
-  const bool is_scrolled_down = old_scrollbar_value == ui_chatbox->verticalScrollBar()->maximum();
-
-  ui_chatbox->moveCursor(QTextCursor::End);
-
-  QStringList word_list = f_message.split(" ");
-
-  for (QString i_word : word_list)
-  {
-    if (i_word.startsWith("http"))
-    {
-      i_word.replace("\n", "").replace("\r", "");
-      ui_chatbox->insertHtml("<a href=\"" + i_word + "\">" + i_word + "</a> ");
-    }
-    else
-      ui_chatbox->insertPlainText(i_word + " ");
-  }
-
-  //ui_ms_chatlog->append(f_message);
-  ui_chatbox->insertPlainText("\n");
-
-  if (old_cursor.hasSelection() || !is_scrolled_down)
-  {
-      // The user has selected text or scrolled away from the bottom: maintain position.
-      ui_chatbox->setTextCursor(old_cursor);
-      ui_chatbox->verticalScrollBar()->setValue(old_scrollbar_value);
-  }
-  else
-  {
-      // The user hasn't selected any text and the scrollbar is at the bottom: scroll to the bottom.
-      ui_chatbox->moveCursor(QTextCursor::End);
-      ui_chatbox->verticalScrollBar()->setValue(ui_chatbox->verticalScrollBar()->maximum());
-  }
+  ui_chatbox->append_chatmessage(f_name, f_message);
 }
 
 void Lobby::set_player_count(int players_online, int max_players)
diff --git a/lobby.h b/lobby.h
index 05b89cb..ef56166 100644
--- a/lobby.h
+++ b/lobby.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "aoimage.h"
 #include "aobutton.h"
 #include "aopacket.h"
+#include "aotextarea.h"
 
 #include <QMainWindow>
 #include <QListWidget>
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ public:
   void set_widgets();
   void list_servers();
   void list_favorites();
-  void append_chatmessage(QString f_message);
+  void append_chatmessage(QString f_name, QString f_message);
   void set_player_count(int players_online, int max_players);
   void set_loading_text(QString p_text);
   void show_loading_overlay(){ui_loading_background->show();}
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ private:
   QLabel *ui_player_count;
   QPlainTextEdit *ui_description;
 
-  QTextBrowser *ui_chatbox;
+  AOTextArea *ui_chatbox;
 
   QLineEdit *ui_chatname;
   QLineEdit *ui_chatmessage;
diff --git a/packet_distribution.cpp b/packet_distribution.cpp
index 857e730..4c0e15f 100644
--- a/packet_distribution.cpp
+++ b/packet_distribution.cpp
@@ -49,22 +49,28 @@ void AOApplication::ms_packet_received(AOPacket *p_packet)
   }
   else if (header == "CT")
   {
-    QString message_line;
+    QString f_name, f_message;
 
     if (f_contents.size() == 1)
-      message_line = f_contents.at(0);
+    {
+      f_name = "";
+      f_message = f_contents.at(0);
+    }
     else if (f_contents.size() >= 2)
-      message_line = f_contents.at(0) + ": " + f_contents.at(1);
+    {
+      f_name = f_contents.at(0);
+      f_message = f_contents.at(1);
+    }
     else
       goto end;
 
     if (lobby_constructed)
     {
-      w_lobby->append_chatmessage(message_line);
+      w_lobby->append_chatmessage(f_name, f_message);
     }
     if (courtroom_constructed && courtroom_loaded)
     {
-      w_courtroom->append_ms_chatmessage(message_line);
+      w_courtroom->append_ms_chatmessage(f_name, f_message);
     }
   }
   else if (header == "AO2CHECK")
@@ -453,7 +459,7 @@ void AOApplication::server_packet_received(AOPacket *p_packet)
       goto end;
 
     if (lobby_constructed)
-      w_courtroom->append_ms_chatmessage(w_lobby->get_chatlog());
+      w_courtroom->append_ms_chatmessage("", w_lobby->get_chatlog());
 
     w_courtroom->done_received();