Don't Judge Me!!!!

[Sapphire Silk]

Frankly, the woman should count her blessings that Texas is (apparently) more lenient when it comes to operating uninsured. In Massachusetts, if you get caught operating an uninsured vehicle, it's a criminal offense and you WILL be arrested and the vehicle impounded.

Delaware, too. Maryland, sometimes, if the cop wants an excuse to lock you up.

You can imagine how well it went over when I went back to the party and told the host that her boyfriend had been arrested and the earliest he might get out of jail was next Monday!

QFT. Saw this all the time.

I had to go to traffic court once, for "unsafe driving" and "no insurance card". I had insurance, I just didn't have the card on me. I was driving a safe distance, but I hydroplaned (it was raining in rush hour traffic) and I rear ended another car. The cop decided to be a dick and issue a traffic summons (he could have just taken the report and cited me at fault, which I was, so the other guy could get his car fixed on my insurance). I did tell my insurance company the accident was my fault so they'd pay up for the other guy's car. My car was totaled. His had a dented rear bumper

When I went to court, this older fellow ahead of me was talking to the clerk like they were old pals. Apparently he was a regular, "caught another case did you?" That visit was just the arraignment; I went before the judge and pleaded not guilty. I had hoped it might be the kind of thing where I could plea bargain it down so I paid a fine but got no points (I'd had a couple of speeding tickets already recently). Didn't work that way. The judge was scary as hell and no non-sense.

A month later I came back for my court date. I was hoping the cop wouldn't show up. He did. Well, I figured I'd just argue the facts and hope the judge would see it my way. I didn't have a lawyer; couldn't afford one. I showed the cop my insurance card, and he dismissed that charge. He told me he was surprised I was fighting the unsafe driving charge. "Don't you know you could get fined more if you are found guilty? ($300 vs $75 if I'd pled guilty, plus 4 points either way).

"Charge wasn't fair," I said. "You didn't take into account everything that was going on at the time."

Cop: Well, I didn't realize you were going to fight this charge until today. I haven't been able to get my witness (the guy I rear-ended) to come up here (from another state). How about we reschedule the trail date so he can be here?

Me: Oh, no! I'm ready to go to trial right now. I don't want to reschedule.

Naturally the cop wasn't too happy with that. He went to talk to the judge, but it didn't do any good; the judge dismissed the charge for lack of evidence and it was clear he wasn't happy with the cop for not keeping track of the case and having his ducks in a row (the cop acts as prosecutor in Delaware in traffic court).

[blas]

Well, my inner-nosy Norah got the best of me and I looked up the dude that was the defendant in the trial I was excused from duty of.

Yup, he was found guilty. It was his 3rd offense DUI.

But hey, at least he had to pay his own money for a lawyer. Maybe he thought the 3rd time would be a charm!

[Zellie Crescent]

I hope the woman try that "Dont judge me!" line on the judge. I can see that work well .

That would be funny as hell to see, if she did I'm sure the jury would have a hard time holding back their laughter.

[Tama]

Cops can be real dicks when they want to be. I've always been told not to speed/whatever at the end of the month, which is when they try to make quota. I hear they're more likely to cut you a break at the beginning of a month.

[xx_wolfie_xx]

In Texas, if you are caught driving uninsured, you are ticketed and your car is towed. for lesser offences such as traffic tickets you can plead "no contest" at which point the judge usually asks if you are able to put money down on the fine today or not and as long as you pay by the date on the paperwork they give you, you are golden.

[Dave1982]

Seems my note wasn't read. Gonna have to close this one.