Advice concerning apparent corruption

Dr_Toad

Dr_Toad

It's green!
Valued Senior Member
In Texas! Can you imagine?

In October, 2013, I was a passenger in my son's car when we were pulled over by a sheriff's deputy in the county north of our county of residence, for a "temporary tag that was flapping", preventing law enforcement from reading the correct numbers, and for an inside rear-deck brakelight that was out.

The center brakelight isn't even checked at state inspection station, and my son was allowed to get out and tape down the flapping tag.

No ticket was issued, but the deputy said he would issue a warrant because his record showed that my son was driving with an invalid license (that DPS didn't know about, not our home county, nor his insurance company...)

Last weekend he had to bail out of another county jail on what is now apparently a felony warrant. he went to the JP's office in person to inquire. They had no record. He called the county attorney for the county where the "warrant" was issued, and they had no record of it either.

He then called the bail bondsman's office and spoke to them. They called him back after an hour to say that the issuing county would need 4 to 6 weeks to "put something together", and he would get a letter with a court date.

I simply cannot believe what I heard today, and just what the fuck is going on here?

No ticket was issued, no summons by mail, no arrests when he was id'ed by the police a few times in the two years since the original stop, and now they need time to put something together?
 
Damn you!
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You're so right.
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I'd love to hear from a lawyer that won't charge me more than my son's proctological examination by the courts will cost him, however..
 
If he has a valid licence, then I wouldn't worry.
He may be a victim of a typo, or a coffee break.
Whatever:
You cannot react until you see just what "put something together", amounts to.

Do police departments seem to have taken on a new role of revenue enhancement?
 
This state is and has been corrupt here and there since it became a state, just like any other. There are speed-trap towns all over the place as well as other money-makers.

Hell, Texas is almost the south. I suppose there aren't any official crooks up there? :rolleyes:
 
Dr_Toad said:
In Texas! Can you imagine?

In October, 2013, I was a passenger in my son's car when we were pulled over by a sheriff's deputy in the county north of our county of residence, for a "temporary tag that was flapping", preventing law enforcement from reading the correct numbers, and for an inside rear-deck brakelight that was out.

No ticket was issued, but the deputy said he would issue a warrant because his record showed that my son was driving with an invalid license (that DPS didn't know about, not our home county, nor his insurance company...)
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Was the DL invalid? Expired? Restricted?

I have seen a few cases locally (MN) where the cops pull someone over telling them to call within 30 days for a court date, they do and are told we dont have the paper work yet, they call back, and the paper work isnt here story continues, then they issue a warrent for arrest. Made no sense to me until I found out they charge you a 'booking fee'.

Yes, it appears to me to be a shakedown, at least here in MN. Seems to only happen to younger people (around here).
 
No, but there's a caveat. A private company, contracted by Governor Goodhair, benefiting his buddies, is allowed to apply "surcharges" to a fine that hasn't been paid off yet. It seems the brake handle on the overcharges was stolen just like the one in Locomotive Breath...
 
Dr_Toad said:
No ticket was issued, but the deputy said he would issue a warrant because his record showed that my son was driving with an invalid license (that DPS didn't know about, not our home county, nor his insurance company...)
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hold on... wait a minute!
first of all... a deputy cannot "issue a warrant"... only a judge can sign one and make it officially "issued"... the deputy can type one up all he wants, but only a "judge" can issue it...

another thing... if the record showed your son was driving with an invalid license, then the deputy should be able to provide data and evidence for the judge or court, and that would happen VERY quickly, so there MUST be some data somewhere. I would talk to a judge about that one, because there is still a constitutional right to fair and timely prosecution (IOW- they can't just "put something together" any time they wish... one method of getting the ball bouncing is to demand your rights to the judge for the presentation of evidence that shows invalid license, etc...

that sounds MIGHTY fishy to me... but it is not unusual, either. lately, one of the counties around us have been arresting people and letting them "work off their fines" in jail without allowing them a court date or presenting them before a judge for adjudication. (IOW - really illegal. they tried it with my son and got as far as telling him before i talked to a judge)
 
Thanks very much! We'll get the ball rolling when he gets back to town.

Unless he's being 'detained' in a different county this time...
 
My son, his half-brother and I, plus a car full of dogs, got stopped because his center brake light was out and his paper temporary tag was flapping in the wind.

The jerk ran his license and insurance, them came back to the car to tell him that the brake light wasn't a violation, but to tape down the temp tag. He then told him that his license was invalid, and that he was issuing a warrant.

Total bullshit, as he'd already paid the traffic fines, plus the surcharges from a private company, and had recently renewed his license. Don't ask me for the logic in that.. This is Texas. Some counties are cool and others are medieval when it comes to milking money out of drivers.

The next week, he called the Williamson Co. prosecutor's office, the court clerk for that district, and damn near everyone we could think of. No one had heard anything about it. One person finally told him that they'd get something together and let him know by mail what to do next.

Two years went by, he was on a return trip from Rocksprings when they were stopped in Gillespie Co. (Max was speeding, but my son went to jail on the warrant that no one in the originating jurisdiction knew about. He bailed out, of course.

Another year went by before he was given a court date. After several fuck-ups by the court and his lawyer, and as many trips 50 miles from where we live to attend court. The first time was to set a date, because he wasn't going to roll on that BS. The second time we showed, his docket number was never called, and we sat from 9:00am until 5:00pm until someone said that his lawyer had called. He was given another court date. What a nice day!

Two weeks later, his lawyer called to say that the case had been dismissed, but he's still out the bail fee and the expense of taking time from work, gasoline, general wear and tear, and angry frustration.

Justice may be blind, but she's stupid.
 
Sounds stupid. I've had very good fortune with our local police. Been pulled over and usually get a warning.
 
Bowser said:
Probably more about being respectful when dealing with the police. I never give them crap, mostly because I appreciate their work.
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Yeah, try that with the police in Virginia or North Carolina when you are driving with out of state tags... Good luck
 
Kittamaru said:
Yeah, try that with the police in Virginia or North Carolina when you are driving with out of state tags... Good luck
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It's not like I've never gotten a ticket. But there have been a few times when they've given some slack and let me go with a warning. But that's local police, which might have a culture unique to their department. While in Kentucky I ran into a speeding ticket, and the officer was the stereotypical kind that you might see on television.
 
Bowser said:
Probably more about being respectful when dealing with the police. I never give them crap, mostly because I appreciate their work.
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Bullshit. Cops are more respectful to white people so it's easier for them to be respectful back.
 
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