Thursday, March 30, 2006

Humorous Story of The Day!

I had to appear in court recently for a speeding ticket. It's amazing how the Judge's try to be intimidating sitting up on high looking down on those of us who have "done wrong". Ok that's just my perception plus it makes this whole story sound better. :)

I was scheduled to be in court at 9am. I walked in with 10 minutes to spare. The court recorder came in and set up and then the judge arrived. "Please rise the Honorable blah, blah, blah, blah, blah presiding." Everyone stands up. The room is currently full. There is not an empty bench in the courtroom. Wow...there are alot of violators out there. As I am sitting there thinking this the realization hit that I was among them. Stupid me. :) But was I truly guilty? I didn't think so but we would have to see. I had quite a bit of information to back me up.

I had been pulled over by a state patrol officer traveling the opposite direction in traffic than me. I watched him stop traffic to make a quick turn around to pull me over. He wasn't too nice when he realized who he had pulled over. It was the same officer 4 years before who had pulled me over 17 times on my way to work with my son in the car for possible carpool violation. Each time he pulled me over he would look in the car, see my son and let me go. I finally had to file a harassment complaint against him.

He quickly wrote me a ticket and I headed on my way.

As I sat in the courtroom I got to thinking, could that officer had known it was me? Nahh...I don't think so. It had been 4 years, I had changed my name in the divorce, moved, and it was a completely different car.

As I was sitting in the courtroom and waiting. As the judge repeated three or four times that theis was the only chance for a derferrment. I continued ot sit on the bench with my hands folded in my lap watching him. I felt as though he was looking at me each time he made the comment about the deferrment. Almost as though it was a warning or an option I should take. The majority of people went up and took the deferrment. I chose not to. As people were standing in line waiting, I over heard a few comments about this being a "hard ass" judge. He didn't let anyone off. Everyone paid. I started thinking a bit more and felt I was in the right so I stood my ground.

There weren't many people left after the deferrment that was offered. The judge looked around and started calling out names. The first few people who went up to plead their case were reduced but not dismissed. He was only reducing by about 30% and no more. I didnt go for deferrment as that automatically admitted guilt and I wasn't ready to fully admit that.

He continued to call up people until he reached my name. It sounded ominous the way he mispronounced it in the courtroom which made me want to laugh instead of be a bit nervous in facing this "heartless" judge. I approached him and he asked me outright if I had been speeding. I immediately responded, "Yes." He looked at me and asked my why I was arguing with the ticket.

I explained that I may have been speeding but I disagree with the speed the officer put on the actual ticket. The judge asked me to explain why.

I looked at him and started opening my wallet. He had asked for my statement so here I went. I looked at the judge and stated, "For one thing when I asked the officer if he had gotten my speed on radar he said no, he estimated it as he was driving the other direction. Not only that I had my cruise control set at 60 mph. I knew my system was accurate (as I pulled receipts out) since I had just had my emissions checked that same day, as well as, I had my alignment done and my brakes checked." I looked at the judge and asked him outright, "Could the state and another company be wrong with my car? When was the last time the speedometer was checked on the patrol car? I don't know. But I have the receipts to prove it." The judge held up his hand as though he didn't want to see the papers. I proceeded to fold them up and put them back as the judge studied my MVR report and looked up at me. He stated, "Kasey, you have a very clean driving record." I immediately interjected, "And I would like to keep it that way." He chuckled slightly and very seriously looked at me and asked, "Did the officer who pulled you over know it was you?" I looked at him confused. He continued, "You had a harassment charge placed against that officer, was he following you or picking you out?" I looked at the judge and told him, "No...there were way too many variables, he couldn't have known it was me. It was just a coincidence." The judge seemed to be a bit relieved and he looked at me and back at the papers a couple of times.

He smiled and said, "Dismissed!"

I thanked him and walked away quickly putting the papers out of sight.

I was very happy with the judges decision. Just for kicks and giggles I sat back down in the courtroom and watched the rest of the group of people face the judge. He dismissed only one ohter ticket that day. I felt very lucky. I felt even luckier that the judge didnt look at my paperwork. He would have found that the dates didn't match and with my car being licensed in the small rural town of Carnation I didn't need to have emissions done on my care at all ever.

Boy did I luck out!

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