I was driving through Radford in January and received a tax ticket from Cpl. Frost for an expired inspection sticker and not wearing my nanny belt. I was out of town on the first court date and he had a training on the second one so it was continued to June.
I arrived at the time noted on the summons and got my first indication that this was going to be an interesting morning. The summons lied, of course the SCOUS has said cops can lie but I wasn't aware that fell to the courts as well. Court didn't actually start until 9, not 8:30 as stated on the summons.
The Officers at the metal detector were telling the assortment of college students to tuck in their shirts and no shorts and take your cell phones back to the car. Lawyers get to keep theirs as well as cops, I saw three of the cops get calls or texts while waiting and run out for conversations. They all came back so I'll assume it wasn't a crime spree they needed to respond to.
We got into the courtroom and waited for some time. The judge arrived, he was a substitute and kept asking how the other judge handled things...I thought they were all trained, especially a retired judge. Anyway we had a few expired this and that which being corrected, were dismissed by the judge.
Then, the big case...playing in the street! Apparently in Radford Virginia it is illegal to play in the street. The female officer, whose name is withheld to avoid hilarity at her seriousness of actually writing a ticket for this, caught two college students skateboarding down a hill!!! The first one was coming RIGHT AT HER PATROL CAR, the other was on the right side of the street in what appeared to be compliance of the ordinance. His was dismissed and the other gentleman wasn't there and his case was continued. But not before the judge asked to see the ordinance and the officer was unable to produce it. After fifteen minutes of my life I will never get back, they determined that she had the wrong code number. They asked the perp if he had objection to changing the code citation and he said no. I always heard that if the code was wrong it was dismissed but I guess they were making the rules up as they go. Anyway the judge read the law and it sounded like they weren't even actually breaking the law. All this for someone who wasn't even there!
There were about 100 people in the courtroom and they kept trying no shows. That just shows who the customer of the Virginia General District Court System is, the police. I would think the customer would be those of us who pay the taxes...err I mean fines. One would think that the 100 of us who were polite enough to actually show us would be waited on before those who didn't. But it's not really about us. It's about taxing drivers so the system can continue to operate at full blast keeping Cpl Frost and Officer Skateboard in a cushy benefit filled state job, not to mention the deputies and court employees.
I did not hear one crime where the rights of a citizen were infringed by another,,,just minute rules and regulations that would injure no one other than the perpetrator and they weren't complaining.
Anyway back to me, I plead no contest on both charges and the inspection sticker was dismissed even though the person who inspected my car put 2010 instead of 2011. I had to swear that that was the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth to prove it! I threw myself on the mercy of the court for the seat belt law, stating that I normally wear one and that I am an EMT and know the consequences as well as pointing out that I drove 50000 miles a year and hadn't hurt myself yet. Unfortunate, the court had no mercy and made me pay the $25 tax so they could all have some Krispy Kremes at the break.
I was able to make a parting shot that primary enforcement seat belt laws tend to kill more pedestrians. The judge agreed but said I should take it up with the General Assembly. What ever happened to judicial nullification. Seems this judge likes the fact that we are killing innocent walkers...it's not his fault I guess if he blame it on the GA.
Be warned they don't take lightly to expired shit in Radford and act accordingly.
I arrived at the time noted on the summons and got my first indication that this was going to be an interesting morning. The summons lied, of course the SCOUS has said cops can lie but I wasn't aware that fell to the courts as well. Court didn't actually start until 9, not 8:30 as stated on the summons.
The Officers at the metal detector were telling the assortment of college students to tuck in their shirts and no shorts and take your cell phones back to the car. Lawyers get to keep theirs as well as cops, I saw three of the cops get calls or texts while waiting and run out for conversations. They all came back so I'll assume it wasn't a crime spree they needed to respond to.
We got into the courtroom and waited for some time. The judge arrived, he was a substitute and kept asking how the other judge handled things...I thought they were all trained, especially a retired judge. Anyway we had a few expired this and that which being corrected, were dismissed by the judge.
Then, the big case...playing in the street! Apparently in Radford Virginia it is illegal to play in the street. The female officer, whose name is withheld to avoid hilarity at her seriousness of actually writing a ticket for this, caught two college students skateboarding down a hill!!! The first one was coming RIGHT AT HER PATROL CAR, the other was on the right side of the street in what appeared to be compliance of the ordinance. His was dismissed and the other gentleman wasn't there and his case was continued. But not before the judge asked to see the ordinance and the officer was unable to produce it. After fifteen minutes of my life I will never get back, they determined that she had the wrong code number. They asked the perp if he had objection to changing the code citation and he said no. I always heard that if the code was wrong it was dismissed but I guess they were making the rules up as they go. Anyway the judge read the law and it sounded like they weren't even actually breaking the law. All this for someone who wasn't even there!
There were about 100 people in the courtroom and they kept trying no shows. That just shows who the customer of the Virginia General District Court System is, the police. I would think the customer would be those of us who pay the taxes...err I mean fines. One would think that the 100 of us who were polite enough to actually show us would be waited on before those who didn't. But it's not really about us. It's about taxing drivers so the system can continue to operate at full blast keeping Cpl Frost and Officer Skateboard in a cushy benefit filled state job, not to mention the deputies and court employees.
I did not hear one crime where the rights of a citizen were infringed by another,,,just minute rules and regulations that would injure no one other than the perpetrator and they weren't complaining.
Anyway back to me, I plead no contest on both charges and the inspection sticker was dismissed even though the person who inspected my car put 2010 instead of 2011. I had to swear that that was the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth to prove it! I threw myself on the mercy of the court for the seat belt law, stating that I normally wear one and that I am an EMT and know the consequences as well as pointing out that I drove 50000 miles a year and hadn't hurt myself yet. Unfortunate, the court had no mercy and made me pay the $25 tax so they could all have some Krispy Kremes at the break.
I was able to make a parting shot that primary enforcement seat belt laws tend to kill more pedestrians. The judge agreed but said I should take it up with the General Assembly. What ever happened to judicial nullification. Seems this judge likes the fact that we are killing innocent walkers...it's not his fault I guess if he blame it on the GA.
Be warned they don't take lightly to expired shit in Radford and act accordingly.
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