The Legal System

If there's one admonition I can pass on to posterity, it's this: For the love of God, don't speed while driving, it's just not worth it. I was speeding about a month ago, for I was late meeting friends (a deplorable reason) and I paid for it dearly. I was pulled over in Mount Olive, New Jersey, going 66mph in a 45mph zone. At this point it would have been wise to use my severely sought-for PBA card, but true to the gist of this story, I wasn't thinking. The police officer gave me a ticket for going 21 mph over the limit, 4 points and $178. Was I upset at this junction? A thousand times yes! I continued to my friend's house, doing about 3 under the speed limit, shaking for fear of impending monetary fines. My original court date was January 24, but when I appeared on that day I had only to enter a plea of "Guilty" or "Not Guilty". I entered "Not Guilty" and patiently waited for a new date to arrive in the mail, like a little present wrapped in carbon paper. Said present never arrived. In the beginning of February, I called the court and found that I never recieved a notice they sent, and that my new court date was March 11. At that point I checked the schedule at my office (Gruber, Colabella, Liuzza, Kutyla and Ullmann, P.A.) to see if any of the attorneys there would be at court on that day. Low and behold, Chris Colabella, one of the partners and a very nice guy, had an appearance scheduled the same day. Yeah! Finally, some fortune. The day of my appearance found me in less than high spirits, and Chris' goading for a plea bargain was the only solice I took. Imagine my dismay when I discovered the morning of my appearance that Chris' appearance was adjourned! So off I drove to court all alone, not even close to speeding. I checked in with the court officer and took my place on a line that meandered around bleached white hallways in the Municipal courthouse. I waited for one hour, two hours...a long time, until finally I spoke to the officer who'd issued the ticket. He laughed when I asked him if a zero-point violation was possible. I guess that suggestion was comical. We reached an agreement at 2 points and $88, not a bad bargain, but not exactly what I wanted. I entered my plea before the judge, paid my fine, and finally left the courthouse 3 hours after I'd arrived. THIS, my friends, in no unclear terms, is our legal system. I ask you, is this justice?