cold doesn’t even describe Wednesday morning. it was fucking freezing. now i remember why i hate waking up so early. it is just too miserably cold. I suppose it didn’t help that i went to sleep at 6:15 and woke up at 7:00.

We finally arrived at the Superior Court Harbor Justice Center (orange county, newport/costa mesa/irvine) at 8am on the nose. The traffic line wasn’t too long, after about 10 minutes, i showed them my ticket and was given a sheet with my rights and told where to go. There were about 60 ppl waiting to get in. I thought i was going to be there all morning.

the small court room sat about 60 people. some lady with the sheriffs office sat up and gave us the rundown of our “5 Choices”. They were as follows:

1. Guilty
2. Not Guilty
3. Traffic School
4. Extension
5. No Contest

After listening to her, i looked over at joel and asked him what he thinks i’m supposed to do. my ticket situation was complicated, and while i was obviously guilty for 2 parts of it i was definitely going to choose not guilty for the third.

after going back and forth and deciding what i should say, joel just looked at me and said “they need a 6th option for you. a little guilty”. Good Morning your honor, i plead a little guilty!

I have a single ticket for the following 3 violations:

• Driving without Registration – Infraction – Guilty
• Driving without Insurance – Infraction – Guilty
• Driving with a suspended license – misdemeanor – Not Guilty

I had cleared up my registration. I finally paid for my title transfer (1100.00) and paid for my late registration (445.00), so while i was guilty, i am able to fix this and pay a small 10.00 fix-it penalty fee. Insurance on the other hand I wont be able to get until I get my license back.

After spending a few days with call redirections between the DMV, Superior Court LA – Culver City, and a collections service called GC Collections, I finally figured out my license suspension issue and what i need to do to fix it.

Basically the DMV has me listed as a suspended license for a FTA (failure to appear in court) violation for a “no front plate” violation. They informed me I needed to call the court house to resolve this. After calling the court house, they said the records didn’t show any “no front plate” violation and to call the DMV again. I call the DMV again, and they inform me once again.. it is indeed the no front plate issue and to call the courts.. again.

I call the courts.. AGAIN. After transferring about 3 times, i finally talk to someone who VERIFIES the FTA for no front plate. It was marked as PAID but there was a scheduled court appearance. Why? I don’t know. I asked them why i wasn’t made aware of the court appointment when i physically went in to pay the no front plate violation MONTHS ago, and he merely replied with “well, the system said you were assigned the court date, so you were informed.” I told him I wasn’t and he had no answer for me. He said my only choice was then to come into the court house and schedule a hearing with a judge.

When I told the gentleman this is what I wanted to do, he informed me that i wouldn’t receive a court date for another month, and during this time i would be unable to get my license back. He advised me to just pay the FTA violation, pay for an abstract and get it over and done with.

Unfortunately by doing this, I have a suspended license on my record and that is a point on my record. I asked if I could “pay” the fee, pay for abstract, and also schedule a hearing with a judge to fight the claim, and he said “yes” but by paying the chances of me winning after the fact will be lower as it is an admission to guilt.

How fucked up is that. He said he knows its messed up but thats how they system works.

It is how the system works because at my hearing in OC, the judge admits the state rapes people. The state is bankrupt and uses traffic violations and the courts to basically gank you out of money. He said because of this he tries his best to lower fines.

When i was called up in front of the judge. He asked if i had registration and insurance. i said i only had registration and said i was unable to get insurance atm. He commented on my suspended license and confirmed that i was unaware and was served with notice on the spot. He basically looked at me, said he was gonna give me a break, and basically dismissed my misdemeanor and charged me for the single insurance infraction.

He was the nicest judge I had ever encountered. The bailiff had told us ahead of time he was a nice guy and we will find that as everyone leaves they will all have big smiles. He was right. Most of us did.

Too bad the girl ahead of me had to go to jail for littering. Yes thats right. Littering. JAIL! She was busted for littering in 2002. She then had an FTA for her littering charge, and plead guilty and agreed to pay a 100.00 fine and serve 8 hours of littering pickup. Her 100.00 check bounced, and she never served her 8 hours. He told her “im sorry but im going to have to detain you.”.

Another bastard speeder totally got off cuz he’s in the military and told the judge he would be unable to attend traffic school of any kind cuz he was going to Iraq. The judge completely dismissed his case.

This stupid girl in front of me plead Not Guilty to an open bottle as a minor in a vehicle charge. The judge advised her it was a bad bad idea, and that IF she lost the penalty was severe. She refused the once in a lifetime only “diversion” option (going to 30 aa meetings). Guess she is saving it up for when she gets busted for possession of heroin.

Things I’ve learned through this ordeal

1. ALWAYS update your current address with the DMV, ALWAYS.
2. Whenever you pay for fines at the courthouse, have them print your record at the window so all comments are available for future reference.
3. If you’re gonna fuck off, get caught in Irvine, Judge Sheedy is the best.
4. fuck the police. and fuck no front plate violations.

-j