‘ If I can remember your name

‘ If I can remember your name and

your face you

are

in trouble’

Repeat customers are always welcome in Judge Thorne’s courtroom

news@theeveningtimes.com

“Has your boyfriend been in my court before in Marion?” asked Judge Fred Thorne of a person in the galley.

“No.”

“Here?”

“Yes.”

“How many times, two?”

“No.”

“A bunch?”

“Yes.

“I might not remember your name but I remember your face. If I can remember your name and your face you are in trouble.”

Judge Thorne and the lawyers in court were discussing a case.

“If a person has to have a forensic evaluation that means that Number One, they don’t understand what they were doing, or Number Two, they are not able to assist their attorney. Now you have had law 101.”

A man in jail was charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct. He pled no contest to both charges.

“Why did you talk to the police like that?”

“Me and my cousin was fighting.”

“What if the police talked like that to your mother?”

“I’d be upset.”

“$500 plus court costs and 20 days jail.”

A woman charged with disorderly conduct pled no contest.

“You were drunk at the dog track and got mad because the bartender wouldn’t serve you any more liquor.”

“I don’t think so, but that is what the report says.”

“You were kicking and screaming.”

“I got excited.”

“You should only get that excited if you won the jackpot. $350 plus court costs.”

A man in jail had gone back to the dog track after he had been banned.

“What do you plead to going back to the track?”

“No contest.”

“They said you were panhandling and asking people for money. Where do you live?”

“Memphis.”

“Five days jail. Don’t cross the ‘Rio Grande’ again. Don’t come back to West Memphis.”

A man in jail was charged with domestic battery and failure to appear pled no contest.

“Why didn’t you show up for your trial?”

“I was at Brickeys for a probation violation.”

“I’ll have to dismiss the charge if you were in jail at Brickeys. Jail let him out at 5:00 … There are good jobs in South Dakota.”

A name was called in the courtroom.

“Pass that one for one second,” said a lawyer.

“You have been doing a lot of that since you have been back from vacation,” said the judge.

A young man was called up.

“How old are you?”

“22.”

“How do you plead to failure to maintain control of a vehicle?”

“No contest.”

“Did you hit someone?”

“No. I hit a guard rail. I

Judge Fred Thorne don’t remember what happened. It was the day after my birthday.”

“Were you still drunk?”

“No.”

“What do you do?”

“I’m a pharmacy tech. I’m still going to college.”

His mother was with him.

“Mom, this is up to you.

Do you want him to pay $75 plus court costs and go do driver’s school or do six hours community service and driver’s school?”

“Pay the $75.”

A man in the courtroom was charged with careless driving and no insurance.

He pled no contest to both charges.

“Did you have insurance on June 10th?”

The man showed his insurance to the bailiff.

“It is a one year policy,” said the bailiff.

“We will have to call on that,” said Judge Thorne.

“Sir, the insurance had been put on the wrong truck by the insurance company. It was on a broke down truck and not the one I was driving.”

“What did you hit?”

“A police car.”

“This man is actually doing better. When I first met him he had assault charges and more. Now he is just down to traffic violations. $55 plus court costs on the careless driving.

$195 plus court costs on the insurance.”

A man in the courtroom was charged with driving on suspended and pled no contest.

“Why was your license suspended?”

“I never had none. I ain’t never had none.”

“$500 plus court costs and five days jail or five days house arrest.”

The man stopped and obviously thought about which to choose.

“This shouldn’t been anything you would have to decide between.”

“House arrest.”

Another man was charged with careless driving and driving on suspended. He pled guilty to both charges.

“Have you ever been in jail?”

“One night on this,” said the lady that was with him.

“He ran off the service road at the Marion exit. He was trying to take some food to some people.”

“You can’t do this!” said Judge Thorne.

“Can I tell him that?”

“Yes.”

The lady turned to the man and said loudly in his right ear, “You can’t do this!”

The galley erupted in laughter.

“He can only hear a little out of his ear.”

“He had a cash bond,” said the court clerk.

“Keep the cash bond. You will get some money back.

15 days house arrest. If he walks outside that motel he gets 14 days jail. Tell him that he and his brothers are going to jail. If he gets caught again driving a car without a license he is going to jail!”

A young woman who had been called up was asked, “How old are you?”

“19.”

“How do you pled to loitering?”

“No contest.”

“Were you with the person who was charged with breaking and entering?”

“Yes.”

“$250 plus court costs.

You shouldn’t make comments on your Facebook before coming to court. Go pay your fine before I put

you in jail.”

By the Evening Times News Staff