Tag: judge

The Speeder. A Short Story.

Joseph should have seen it coming.  In fact, his surprise at the heavy penalty levied by the Judge only served to anger the Judge.

The judge had not issued a warning, or a fine.  No, this was far worse.  He had basically thrown 35_roadsignJoseph under the jail.  And for what?  Speeding?

As he sat behind bars beginning his long sentence, he pondered the situation.  He had lost his license, lost his freedom, lost his insurance, and because he couldn’t work, might even lose his house.  All because he was doing 52 in a 35 mph zone.  It seemed a bit steep, as traffic violations go.  He was only 17 over!  No big deal!

The problem, the Prosecutor had reminded the Judge, was that this was Joseph’s umpteenth time in front of the court for the same basic offenses.  As the Prosecutor had shuffled through a pile of paper, he had recounted more than eleven court appearances just in the last year, with a couple dozen in the previous five years.  Continue reading “The Speeder. A Short Story.”

Ignorance of the Law is no excuse….

‘Ignorance of the law is no excuse’ is a common cliche.

About eight months ago now, we moved to our currentbarney-fife location.  As I drove into a nearby one-light town, I was ‘welcomed’ by one of the friendly uniformed tour guides.  After he asked for my license and registration, he informed me I was doing 55 in a 35!!

YOWZA!

I rapidly explained that I was new to the area and had not seen the sign, which he pointed out a couple hundred yards back up the road…  (He was camped out at that little spot, so apparently this had something to do with supporting the local municipality.)  He was gracious enough to give me a warning, but I knew, if that sign said what he said it said (it did, I checked…), then I was absolutely in the wrong.  My ignorance was no excuse.

Did you know that in Torah there is a provision that says, ‘Ignorance of the Law is no excuse?’ Continue reading “Ignorance of the Law is no excuse….”