ON BLAST!!! JUDGE BLASTS KEYSHIA COLE IN COURT . . . FOR ACTING VERY GHETTO . . . AND HE QUESTIONS WHETHER SHE IS EVEN LITERATE!!!

Keyshia was being sued by an event promoter, who claimed that she didnât make a contracted for appearance in 2006, after being paid her $15,000 up front fee. The judge found in favor of the event promoter, and ordered Keyshia to pay $160,000 in damages.

But it gets better. During the course of the trial, the judge WENT IN ON Keyshia for her behavior - which seemed erratic and confused. Here's how our people at TMZ are reporting things:

The judge not only ruled against Cole, but she blasted the singer in her written opinion, saying Cole's testimony was "confused and at times nonsensical."

But the judge's biggest shot: Cole appeared so reluctant to read certain documents while testifying, "that it appears at times that she was not literate."

Eventually, the judge realized Cole was literate -- when Cole managed to read documents that she thought helped her case.

WOW . . . we're not sure what to think about this. Why would he think she WASN'T LITERATE? Obviously she was just being difficult . . . but why did he have to TAKE IT THERE?????