So yesterday I had to so something I’ve never had to do before. I actually had to go to court…no…I didn’t really do anything wrong. See, the day before Thanksgiving I actually left my house. I know…that’s odd…but yea…I went out to go pick up “The Expendables” for my father and I to watch on Thanksgiving night. While I was out I got pulled over…which is highly unusual for me. I found out that we forgot to renew the registration on the car….whoops! Well, I don’t normally drive my car, my daughter does. She left it a mess….so when I had to hand him the license, registration, and insurance….I couldn’t find the current insurance card. Officer goes back to his car and proceeds to write me a ticket for not renewing my registration (okay…that’s fair) and then he also comes back with a ticket for failing to show insurance….only…I actually found it as he was walking back. When I showed it to him he just shook his head since he knew I didn’t deserve the summons for not showing insurance. The catch is…he couldn’t just rip it up…and it’s a mandatory court appearance. Ugh….
Fast forward to yesterday…and I went to the court. Now….I didn’t know where the court was and I was out shopping most of the day. I ended up getting to the police station at 4PM (my court time was 4PM) and they told me it was actually a few blocks up. I bolted back out to my car and got to the court house at about 4:05. I thought I was in trouble as I was showing up a few minutes late…..yea….suuuuuuure. I get inside and there’s about 20 or so people standing in line. After about another 5 minutes they finally allow us into the court after going through a metal detector. No biggie…..
So…we’re in the court room and waiting for the judge to get in….finally at about 4:20 or so he walks in….continues on about what this court session is about and yada yada yada. During this time there are two guys up from with shackles on the ankles and handcuffs on their wrists…wearing the bright orange jump suits. One of the guys was in there for beating his girlfriend (who happened to be sitting next to me with a black eye)….the guy suddenly started bawling his eyes out (what? He’s a big shot to hit a girl but can’t handle his time in court?….didn’t see his sentencing but I hope they through the book at him for that….you DO NOT HIT WOMEN)….the judge asked if he needed to be escorted out by one of the officers. He calmed down…but was still shaking uncontrollably and sobbing. So…after that little incident the judge does a roll call and asks what charges we’ll be pleading for our summonses. When he gets to me it got entertaining….. Let me start off by explaining that I was out running around all day from store to store looking for something that apparently isn’t made any longer. I’ve had nothing to eat or drink all day…so my mouth was DRY. He calls my name and I proceed to tell him that I have two fines, one I will plead guilty for (the registration….which was a simple mistake) and one that is supposed to be dismissed. He asks me if I’ve spoken to the prosecutor for the one that is due to be dismissed…I go to answer and my words get a bit jumbled…I was supposed to say “No, I haven’t talked to the prosecutor yet”…instead it came out “No…I haven’t talked to the prostitute….” Well…that was entertaining….everybody in the court room (except the big crying baby that hits women) was laughing their asses off. I looked at the girl next to me and said “I can’t believe I just said that”….she said “Yea…that was good…I think we needed that”.
Without going into detail on the rest of my court time….I’ll say there were some arguments from people in there…a few people taken out in hand cuffs and a lot of yelling by the judge. At about 10 minutes to 5PM they call everyone that has a “plea slip” to go see the prosecutor. As I’m out in the hall the judge flips out on one girl who had previously caused a problem the last time she was in court. He threatens to send her to jail if she gives any trouble to the woman that you pay the fines to….apparently the last time she was here she flipped her off. I finally get into the prosecutor at about 5 after 5 and we start to talk….that same girl comes into the room and starts telling the prosecutor that he lied to her…I sat back and let the two of them argue about it. The prosecutor looks at me and just laughs at how this is…he knew it was my first time in court and I laughed and said it’s been entertaining….he jokingly tells me that they have court every 2nd and 4th Wed. I told him I’d love to come and be entertained but I’m not allowed to video tape it…lol
So…I get back into the court room at about 10 after 5PM…now I’ve been there about an hour and 5 minutes….I figured I’d be gone by now….yea….waaaaaaaaaay wrong. I get back into the court room and the judge had just decided to take a recess. The officer that was in there figured he’d be back in shortly….riiiiiiiiiiiiiight. So…..at about 7:25PM (yes more than 2 hours later) the judge finally returns and starts taking a few more cases. I sit and wait for my name to be called…..guess who gets up before me….the crybaby woman beater. He stands in front of the judge and then starts crying his eyes out again and gagging and drooling. His public defender takes him out of the room….judge calls me up and I get my fines read to me (which I already knew…but he had to be “official”)…I go out to pay them…and crybaby throws a fit and three cops had to take him outside so he could pretend to throw up…..
All in all….I finally got to leave at about 10 minutes to 8PM. Almost 4 full hours for something so incredibly stupid. However….it was definitely entertaining….lol
~NFM