COURT

well, i went to court on wednesday, february 1, for the traffic ticket i got back in december.  it is the first ticket i have ever gotten, and i have been driving for 38 years.  the officer claimed i didn't stop for a stop sign, but he didn't pull me over until a mile down the road.  and then, he ran my tag i guess, and found it was unregistered.  so he pulled me over and eventually gave me a ticket for operating an unregistered vehicle and a warning ticket for the stop sign.

let me explain why it was unregistered:

i had the car repo'd awhile back.  then there were things wrong with it i didn't have the money to have fixed.  i let the insurance lapse which caused the car to be de registered.  i was planning on getting it re registered, get new insurance and have my license renewed all in the second week of january.  well, unfortunately, that one officer was determined i wasn't going to drive my car till then.

i went to court on january 17 and got a continuance.  when i went back on wednesday, i pleaded no lo contendre and the judge (who is really a great guy) reduced my fine from $140.00 to $25.  i paid the fine, signed the papers, and went on my way.

but a word to the wise here..............don't drive through henry county georgia unless you dot your "i's" and cross your "t's" because they will get you.  i could have gone to jail and/or had my license pulled and car towed.  but he let me go and thank the good Lord, my fine was reduced and by pleading no lo, it doesn't go on my record. 

there was a 19 year old girl ahead of me who was caught driving 101 mph in a 70 mph zone.  her fine was over $800.  the judge reduced it to $500, but suspended her license for one year and put her on one year's probation.  she almost fainted.  she started crying.  he calmly stated to her (as a father to a daughter) that anyone driving 101 mph in the state of georgia needed to be taught a lesson.  and this was hers.

a man came in late and the bailiff told him to find a seat and sit down.  he wouldn't.  the bailiff told him 5-6 times.  finally the bailiff went up to him and got into his face and told him sit.  he sat next to me.  he fidgeted and fidgeted the whole time he waited.  i could smell pure alcohol on his breath.  he was loaded...............now i know why he didn't want to sit.  i am surprised the bailiff didn't smell it on his breath.

court is not a nice place to be.........and i don't want to go there ever again.  so i am minding my "p's" and "Q's" and watching out for those nice henry county officers.