Texas Woman Jailed for Overdue Library Books

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
reply to post by buddhasystem

 

For a person who claims to avail themselves of their local library frequently, it’s readily apparent to many of us on the thread who know the law through study or encounters with the legal system that you aren’t checking out any law books at your library.

Luck would have it that indeed I do once in a while, for the sake of my wife who is a lawyer. And she's really a compendium of law facts and practice far and beyond your ability in that subject.

Constitutionally anyone apprehended by the law, including on a ‘bench’ warrant for failure to appear must be brought before an arraigning judge or magistrate within 3 days. The only time it typically takes three days if you were apprehended on a Friday afternoon and the next court session is not until Monday. Usually it is within 24 hours, unless law enforcement wants to use the whole three days to try to extract a confession from the accused.

Meh, it all will vary by the state.

reply to post by buddhasystem


I eat lawyers for breakfast and since you claim to be married to one, I suggest you read the inane ramblings of your rendition of the law to her at breakfast, warn her to wear a bib though so she doesn't spit her breakfast cereal out when you explain the absurd legal notions you have based your arguments on here in this thread.

Oh tell her you think that Constitutional rights vary from state to state too.

Any lawyer worth their salt would call this what it is, a grave miscaraige of justice.

Man Returns Book to Michigan Library 76 Years after Due Date
Fine would have added up to over $2,700

Updated: Wednesday, 22 Dec 2010, 10:11 AM EST
Published : Tuesday, 21 Dec 2010, 11:43 PM EST


MT. CLEMENS, Mich. (WJBK) - An Arizona man finally returned a book he checked out of a Macomb County library nearly 76 years ago. But instead of a monster late fee, he'll be rewarded for his action.

Mark McKee was just 13 years old in 1934 when he checked out a copy of A Dog of Flanders from the Mt. Clemens library.

The novel, written in 1872 by Marie Louise de la Ramée , tells the tale of a young orphaned boy and his dog who endure tough times together before tragically dying on Christmas Eve. The story was so touching that McKee kept it close by his side for over seven decades before finally returning it along with a letter this month.

McKee, who spent time in Michigan as publisher of the Macomb Daily , told FOX 2's Simon Shayket that his conscience got the best of him and drove him to return the book, which was originally due on May 24, 1934.

www.myfoxdetroit.com...

This is a very different story about a book being overdue, the late fee of $2700.00 was not only waived but this library did not go after Mr. McKee in all those years.

The book will not be circulated but achieved along with the letter from Mr. McKee.

You may want to watch the short video at the link.

reply to post by Aquarius1


Wow what a beautiful story and proof positive that every life yields a story of it's own that is sometimes just as fascinating as a book.

I think it's a wonderful testament to how meaningful certain books are to some people, that the man's own written testament to the book he kept so long is going to be now kept with the book in the archives.

What's also interesting is most of Michigan like other rust belt states is cash strapped, and could certainly use 'code enforcement' fines to fund the government, but has the good sense to draw the line when it comes to how rigorously some codes are enforced.

This kind of gives me the encouragement I need to return that "Dick, Jane and Spot" book I have been holding on too all these years, who am I kidding, I am never going to figure out the meaning of that t-h-e word in it. I have no idea why I haven't just given up, but hey, I guess I am stubborn!

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
reply to post by buddhasystem

 

I eat lawyers for breakfast

OK, pat yourself on the back.

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
reply to post by Aquarius1

 

What's also interesting is most of Michigan like other rust belt states is cash strapped, and could certainly use 'code enforcement' fines to fund the government, but has the good sense to draw the line when it comes to how rigorously some codes are enforced.

It is a heartwarming story and I agree that this library could very well have used the money, the story here about the Texas woman is mind boggling to me, I would hope this was only an aberration.

Proto I order you to return that book now.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/acfc41c7345e.jpg[/atsimg]

Originally posted by buddhasystem

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
reply to post by buddhasystem

 

I eat lawyers for breakfast

OK, pat yourself on the back.

Law like Medicine has so many specialized areas now, that being a Lawyer or being a Doctor is not actually saying much about your professional life or qualifications. Law like Medicine has become so complex into so many areas that there is in fact no way one lawyer, or one doctor, could even begin to master every facet and aspect of law or medicine.

Most specialize in highly specific areas, if they are in fact talented at being a lawyer or doctor, bad lawyers and doctors abound though, who are not particuarly skilled in any area of the law or medicine.

Now had you specified what area of law your you 'spouse' practices in, you might have given your self a little bit more amunition, even though it's pretty much a my big brother, can beat up your big brother type of argument.

Not all lawyers who specialize are created equal either, didn't graduate top of your class at Harvard, well you aren't getting in to the most prestigious firms.

Further even most of the best lawyers delegate much of what goes into their 'case' work to either junior attorneys at the firm, or paralegals at a firm, depending on what level of skill is required to produce that breif or motion.

The very best lawyers are often just mouth pieces who show up in court to represent the thousands upon thousands of pages of work down by Jr. Attorneys and Paralegals they directed in structuring the case.

The support people behind a top notch attorney might number in the hundreds.

In many cases the paralegals who prepared many of the briefs and motions could actually do a better job at presenting them and arguing them in court than the actual Attorney they produced them for. They just lack the trial record, pedigree and degrees and credentials to do so.

I wouldn't recommend quiting your day job of borrowing Harry Potter books to become an attorney!