True Legal Story - As Told By a Local Lawyer
Joe and Sam Anyone have a sister named Susie. She has just returned to her own apartment for the fall semester. During the summer, she lived at home in another city. At 6:00 AM, someone pounds on her door. Barely awake, she answers the door. Two sheriff's deputies are on the porch with a warrant for her arrest.
Shocked awake, she asks what the warrant is for. They tell her it is for a $1.98 check she gave last spring, when she was living in the dorm. She closed her account for the summer and failed to leave enough in the account to cover the check. The check was returned to the merchant, unpaid and stamped account closed.
She did not have her mailed forwarded for the summer and therefore got no notices. Now it is too late for noticies. A warrant has been issued. She owes $1.98 plus $150 in fines and court costs. The deputies tell her to get dressed and bring her purse. They can't take her before the judge before 8 o'clock, so she will have to wait in jail. She begins to cry. She doesn't have any cash, and the judge won't take a check.
She begs the deputies to let her call her big brother, Joe. He can lend her the money. They say okay. She calls Joe at home, but he's not there. She gets dressed and calls him again, hoping that he was in the shower. Still no answer. She begs the deputies not to arrest her. It's years work. The deputies say she can take herself before the judge at 9 o'clock with the money. That way she can avoid jail. If she fails to show, they'll be back.
Joe finally gets out of the shower and answers or third call. Fortunately, he has just cashed his check from home the day before and hasn't had a chance to spend it. He goes with her to court at 9 o'clock, page $200, and Susie avoids going to jail. Remember, this was over a two dollar check!
Shocked awake, she asks what the warrant is for. They tell her it is for a $1.98 check she gave last spring, when she was living in the dorm. She closed her account for the summer and failed to leave enough in the account to cover the check. The check was returned to the merchant, unpaid and stamped account closed.
She did not have her mailed forwarded for the summer and therefore got no notices. Now it is too late for noticies. A warrant has been issued. She owes $1.98 plus $150 in fines and court costs. The deputies tell her to get dressed and bring her purse. They can't take her before the judge before 8 o'clock, so she will have to wait in jail. She begins to cry. She doesn't have any cash, and the judge won't take a check.
She begs the deputies to let her call her big brother, Joe. He can lend her the money. They say okay. She calls Joe at home, but he's not there. She gets dressed and calls him again, hoping that he was in the shower. Still no answer. She begs the deputies not to arrest her. It's years work. The deputies say she can take herself before the judge at 9 o'clock with the money. That way she can avoid jail. If she fails to show, they'll be back.
Joe finally gets out of the shower and answers or third call. Fortunately, he has just cashed his check from home the day before and hasn't had a chance to spend it. He goes with her to court at 9 o'clock, page $200, and Susie avoids going to jail. Remember, this was over a two dollar check!
