The story starts with an evil police officer giving Lindsay a speeding ticket even though she had done nothing wrong (the details of the speeding ticket are unimportant, but if you must know she was driving at about the speed limit for the rest of the road but a police officer was lying in wait about a half a mile up the road clocking people coming out of a curve where the speed limit is 10 mph lower).
We have learned that it is always best to go to court when you get a ticket since they will usually reduce the penalty if you do, even if you don't have any representation. Lindsay brought Reed to represent her (Max was there too, but she only brought him in order to be able to discreetly work out her arm muscles).
Reed was fascinated by the whole experience. When they were inside the courtroom he kept asking Lindsay which one was the judge, and she pointed out to him a youngish black woman seated at the highest seat with a black robe on. She described her to me as a nice lady with a no nonsense attitude--she didn't hesitate to tell people exactly what she thought of them or the situation they had created for themselves.
When it was finally their turn to appear before the judge, Reed grabbed the citation and ran up to the bench waving it. The judge took the ticket and asked, "What's this?" Lindsay said, "It's the ticket. I'm sorry." After she looked at the ticket, it was returned to Reed and he turned to run back to Lindsay, but tripped. People throughout the courtroom chuckled and Reed dashed behind the podium where Lindsay was standing.
The judge then asked Lindsay, "How do you plead?" and Lindsay told her, "Guilty." Then the judge smiled at Reed and asked, "Are you Mom's helper today?" Reed nodded and said, "Yes." She was very nice to Reed, and I hope he broke up the tedium of the day for her. After a brief pause she told Lindsay, "Oh just go." Lindsay thanked her profusely then took the kids and left the courtroom before the judge could change her mind. The case was dismissed thanks to the help of our little lawyer.
If anyone needs legal help, Reed has plenty of availability, except for mornings on Mondays and Wednesdays--that's when he has preschool.
4 comments:
Wait, why did Lindsay plead guilty?
One reason to go into court is to get the penalty reduced. If the ticket is for less than 9 miles over the speed limit then NC law says insurance companies can't hold it against you. Lindsay had already spoken with the assistant DA who had agreed to reduce the charge to 9 mph over the speed limit, so all she had to do was plead guilty to the lesser charge. Even with a guilty plea the judge can dismiss the case at his or her discretion.
I love that story. I can imagine Reed doing just that...maybe I can borrow him...
This story makes me laugh. It brings back images of my little knees knocking together standing next to mom in court. I definitely was not as bold as Reed, but we beat the dentist in the trial:)
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