Welcome to the Not-So-Justice System!

A couple days ago, I trotted down to my local "Hall of Justice" to try and have my boyfriend's recent traffic ticket revoked.

See, he was driving my car in Winston-Salem, NC. And since I've been in NYC for, say, the past 3+ years, I hadn't yet taken the time to renew my tags...

Ruh-roh. Maybe you can see where this is going...

Anywho. While driving my car, we're pulled over by a local good 'ol boy cop. He's very polite, and since I "look like a nice young lady and all," tells me that he must give my boyfriend a ticket but that, "if you call the District Attorney's office, they'll dismiss the ticket."

Literally, folks. Those were his exact words.

Anywho. A couple days later, I start calling the DA's office. After an entire week of my calling and being told to "leave a message and we'll call you back" by the DA's answering service -- with no one ever actually calling me back, of course -- I finally head down to take care of the ticket in person.

And what am I told when I arrive?

These are exact quotes, ya'll... get this:

DA Office Worker: "Cops lie all the time. I wouldn't trust what he said."

Me: "Um... well, then, how are citizens supposed to know the law if officers of the court -- whose job it is to enforce it and, thus, serve and protect the public -- blatantly lie?"

DA Office Worker: "No comment."

Me: "... Okay. So, what happens if my boyfriend won't be in the state of NC to show up in court about this ticket?"

DA Office Worker: "I don't know. You may want to contact an attorney about that. I can't give legal advice."

Me: "... Okay. Can you at least tell me if he'll get points on his driving record?"

DA Office Worker: "I don't know."

Me: "Well, who would?"

DA Office Worker: "Maybe the DMV."

Me: "Okay. Can I call them, or go down to their office and ask?"

DA Office Worker: "I don't know. You may want to contact an attorney about that. I can't give legal advice."

Me: "I need to ask an attorney just to see if I should go down to the DMV?"

DA Office Worker: "Yeah. But they'll lie to you, too. You know, just so you'll pay the ticket and fees and all."

Me: "Um... how is all this lying to the public legal?"

DA Office Worker: "I don't know. You may want to contact an attorney about that. I can't give legal advice."

Me: "No comment."

Welcome to the Not-So-Justice Department, folks! Isn't bureaucracy GREAT?

xoxo,

Rebel Deb