Back on April 6, as you may remember, I was given a citation for “driving with an improper tag” which I was told by the officer was a felony misdemeanor. Turns out it is a 2nd degree misdemeanor and I had my court date yesterday.
My sister-in-law, a judge in N.C., recommended I dress well because she’s always impressed by people showing respect, so I wore a coat and tie. I was the best dressed person at traffic court yesterday, with the possible exception of the translator. The whole room was filled with people wearing t-shirts and baggy blue-jeans.
They had about 100 people in the courtroom, but the judge announced that they were going to go through 261 cases in the afternoon. So, starting pretty promptly at 1:45, they did all the cases that required interpreters first. Mostly driving without a license, but there were a couple leaving the scene of an accident and dui’s. One kid was handcuffed and sent to jail.
After the Spanish iteration of traffic court, my turn came up, I plead guilty and got a chance to explain my situation briefly, showed that I had obtained the proper documentation and I was out of there with court costs. $265.
It’s a whole 'nother world out there. Takes a real hit to your relative self worth.
They got some of your money and that’s what it was all about. I wonder if they checked the citizenship of those that needed interpreters? I’m guessing not.
It’s funny, at the local DMV here they have state troopers in a back room. Every person that comes to the counter, they check for proper documentation and outstanding warrants. I’ve seen someone escorted out in bracelets nearly every time I’ve been there.
I haven’t always been the most law-abiding citizen, but for some reason that just makes me feel like my tax money actually goes somewhere.
I’ve been through a similiar situation and it’s a stressful one. I’ll bet your glad that you’re past all of this now. It can really reduce you to a much smaller size human being.
Yep, I’ve been stressed for several days, reaching a peak yesterday. It really wears you out.
I’m having a fresh dry-hopped strong hopfenweisse as we type.
How in the hell can there be a felony misdemeanor? Unless I’m mistaken that cop must be an idiot. Got a speeding ticket on Ft. Sam Houston and the officer told me my court date was in two weeks. It actually was 3 months and at the Federal courthouse. Moron. I expected the book to be thrown at me but after explaining my case to the judge he let me off with $20 fee and nothing on my record. ;D I guess it’s better to get a ticket in a Federal jurisdiction… If it had been in the city’s traffic courts the ticket probably would have cost me $300 and been reported to my insurance provider.
I really appreciate how during a stressful situation you were aware of the people around you and what was happening to them. Enjoy your homebrew and thank you for sharing your observations.
I’ve only been in front of the judge for speeding tickets, but they don’t seem to even care. Plead guilty, “Is your record clean?”, “Yes Sir”, probation before judgement, points suspended, fine + court costs. It’s like they’re reading from a script.
However, my friend had his license suspended for not paying an out of state ticket (damn Ohio) and only found out after he was pulled over, arrested, and had to spend a night in central booking in the city. I think he also ended up with nothing more than a fine, but he had to hire a lawyer who also made some money off of him.
Don’t let it bother you too much Jeff. The smell wears off pretty quick.
I hate everything to do with the court system. Bureaucrats treating everyone like they are dipshits. I had jury duty every year after I registered to vote in 1973. Never got seated on a jury because when we got to the voir dire part I never hid my contempt for the Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff Office.
I do not dislike police. I have several good friends on the Hawaii County Police Department. I just dislike the OPD and the OCSO. Arrogant a-holes.
Having lived in Tampa for several years I can assure you that this phenomenon is not localized to Orlando. I think it’s a Florida/Alabama/Mississippi thing.
Never had a problem with the Florida Highway Patrol. Got more than one ticket from them for speeding, but the troopers were always professional and respectful. Several times they let me off with warnings.
Where’s the racism in checking the citizenship of all the people that are in court suspected/committed of crimes? I’ll bet you that the majority of ones found not to be citizens are also the ones that need interpreters. INS should be standing by with a bus.
+1…if you removed every one of them that was either corrupt or incompetent there wouldn’t be many left. We need someone/something to protect us from our own cops (well, they do; I live in Seminole).
