🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Jul14.170104.9554@eliot.uucp> cmb@eliot.uucp (Chris) writes:

>In article <1992Jul13.134851.5792@wam.umd.edu>, dmb@wam.umd.edu 
> (David M. Baggett) writes:
>> For some reason judges don't seem to appreciate any arguing in traffic
>> court.

>I have noticed this.  A friend of mine received a parking ticket for 
>parking more than two hours in a 2hr limit zone.  When my friend went 
>before the judge, he already had in mind an excuse.  He asked if she was 
>just late from class or late coming out of the library, as if these were 
>exceptable and that he would dismiss the case.

>She told him that the sign delimiting the 2hr area had been knocked off a 
>few weeks before, and that she wasn't in a 2hr area.  The judge went off.  
>He yelled at her, that she didn't know what she was talking about and that 
>she should not parking in areas marked as 2hr zones, and that there doesn't 
>have to be a sign on each light post, but only two.  One at the beginning 
>of the block and one at the end, no mater how long it was.

>This seemed to happen in most for the trials.  If anyone presented anything 
>that wasn't "Gee I'm sorry, I won't do it again", they were scolded and 
>fined. It seems taht apathy and stupidity were rewarded with a dismissal of 
>a trial.

My personal story about traffic court in VA is sort of funny.  After the 
usual delays, and everyone with a lawyer getting a postponement, I got 
before a judge.  (Background, I was charged by a police officer with 
reckless driving after slipping on an icy road and running off the road--
something about going 40 in a 55 mph zone on an icy day being dangerous--my 
mistake was changing lanes.)

The person just before me was college age, and had brought some law books 
(obviously designed to either amuse or enrage the judge--he was lucky).  He 
cited other cases and precedents and the like.  After about fifteen minutes
(most cases lasted about 1 or 2 minutes), the judge interrupted him and 
asked a few pertinent clarifying questions.  Then the judge issued the 
ruling, citing an old legal precedent--"no harm, no foul".  At this point, 
the judge didn't want any more nonsense, looked at my case and asked the 
police officer if there were any other vehicles involved.  The police 
officer said "No" and the judge said "Why are you wasting my time, then?" 
and dropped the charges.


John DeCarlo, MITRE Corporation, McLean, VA--My views are my own
Fidonet:  1:109/131  Internet:  jdecarlo@mitre.org