Comments on: This is absurd

By: Dave Bearse

Dave Bearse — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:17:34 +0000

Is Sentinel, as private probation company and the source of the Clayton arrest, covered by sovereign immunity? If not, perhaps she’s in for a payday.

By: Ken in Eastman

Ken in Eastman — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:56:43 +0000

I’m not certain, but I think there was mention of a “first born child”.

By: benevolus

benevolus — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:58:05 +0000

If you gotta post 2x bond when you plead guilty, I’d hate to see what you have to pay when you plead not guilty!

By: Republican Lady

Republican Lady — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:23:53 +0000

Haaa, you are right! I had not noticed that before.

By: Republican Lady

Republican Lady — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:08:42 +0000

You are correct. If one is on a one-way street in the far left lane, that person can turn left on red onto a second street also going one way to the driver’s left. Sorry I was not clearer.

By: Mozart

Mozart — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:35:59 +0000

If one reads that link a little too fast, it looks like that final address on RL’s hyperlink reads as “bill o frights”.

By: Doug Deal

Doug Deal — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:59:33 +0000

This is not true, only in non city parts of the state. For example, in Macon, all U-Turns are illegal by city ordinance except on streets with an island in the middle.

By: griftdrift

griftdrift — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:53:49 +0000

U-turns is another good. They are legally anywhere unless a signs says you can’t. But they have to be done in a safe manner. Which gives johnny law a little wiggle room to right you a ticket.

By: ByteMe

ByteMe — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:50:06 +0000

When you are not crossing traffic to do that… which means you’re on a one-way street and turning onto a one-way street that is moving right to left as you face it. Limited, of course, by any signs telling you you cannot do that.

By: Steve Perkins

Steve Perkins — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:48:24 +0000

That’s interesting. When is it legal to turn left on red?

By: polisavvy

polisavvy — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:33:30 +0000

I didn’t ask, but thanks. I just hit the print button and will keep on my desk.

By: Silent Jay

Silent Jay — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:38:42 +0000

You know, Clayton probably has 10,000 back warrants of their own to serve. How did a nothing traffic warrant from another county go to the head of the class?

By: Republican Lady

Republican Lady — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:23:21 +0000

Here is an easy link to pull up the Bill of Rights. I can’t remember who asked me for this but I’ll give it to you in case it was you. It is the one my students use for their research papers.

http://topics.law.cornell.edu/constitution/billofrights

By: Republican Lady

Republican Lady — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:20:11 +0000

Polisavvy,

Sorry this is a little long, but here goes. Arrest warrants can be served anywhere. Once a warrant pops up on the police computer, the officer is supposed to verify the warrant and ask if the agency holding the warrant will come get the person before an arrest is made. If Houston County said the warrant was valid and that they would come get her, then Clayton would hold her in their facility until Houston comes to get her, usually within 72 hours.

She lost her right to a “trial by jury” when she accepted the terms of the court. In order to have gotten the jury trial, which is her right under the Sixth Amendment, she would have had to pay the double fine to have her case put on the trial calendar. Most all courts charge some bond to be posted to ensure a court appearance.

Clayton County had a problem approximately two years ago when it was discovered their radar officers had not been recertified to run radar. An alleged speeder asked to see the calibration and proof of an officer’s legal stance to use the radar equipment. When it came out he was not qualified to write the ticket, then all speeding tickets written for the previous eighteen months were declared invalid and as I recall, the monies had to be returned to the citizens receiving the tickets and the points removed from their drivers’ licenses. I don’t know what happened to the higher insurance premiums paid because of the speeding ticket.

Another problem is some officers writing tickets for offenses that are no longer valid or without studying the code. For example, there are times when turning left on red is legal but officers still write that ticket and it gets thrown out in court. People always need to check out the traffic code under which the citation is written before paying fines.

By: polisavvy

polisavvy — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:23:31 +0000

Thanks for the clarification. The article failed to mention that. I was wondering how Fulton County got into the mix. Thanks again.

By: Chris McFadden

Chris McFadden — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:14:40 +0000

The private probation company, Sentinel Offender Services, has offices in Fulton County. Civil cases can be filed in any county where any of the defendants reside.

By: Doug Deal

Doug Deal — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:10:47 +0000

If I were King For A Day™ I would earmark every dollar collected in fees and fines in excess of enforcement to victim services and indigent defense. This would include paying restitution, which the state would then collect out of the hide of the perpetrator with its police power.

No money would go to the general fund of any government agency anywhere in the state.

If there is a compelling state reason to prosecute traffic offences, there is a compelling reason to do it without profit.

By: LoyaltyIsMyHonor

LoyaltyIsMyHonor — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:34:55 +0000

Government is addicted to the money no doubt. Never mind the Super Speeder bill, have you seen the amount of court fees tacked on to traffic citations. You pay them even if you win. I know a lot of those fees predate the Republicans rise to power, but they’ve done nothing, except for a study committee, to repeal any. Why do we keep kidding ourselves that Republicans are fiscal conservatives?

By: AlanR

AlanR — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:31:57 +0000

Did she file in Fulton to escape Houston? She will need a change of venue to get a fair hearing.

By: Erick

Erick — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:15:46 +0000

My guess is that it has to do with the constitutional issues raised creating a venue in Fulton County as the seat of state government.