So in mid May a uniformed police officer rang my doorbell and handed me a suponea. I had been summoned to appear as a witness in the trial of the individual who rear ended me last December. (If you don't know that story, see my blog post "An Atypical Friday Night"). Apparently he was fighting the charges of careless driving and failure to provide the proper information ( Ala insurance).
The date of the court case was Friday July 27th, at 10am at the courthouse in Cambridge.
After a quick check of my work schedule, I breathed a sigh of relief, I would be working out of town, 3 hours North in Penetang, but my show schedule would allow me to attend the trial without having to actually miss any work.
So last night, after doing 2 shows I jumped in the Escape at 11pm, and drove the 3 hours home to get a few hours sleep.
I was up at 7:45am to shower and prep for the day, determined to make it to the courthouse early, since I wasn't entirely certain where the courthouse is located.
At 9:15am I arrive at the courthouse, verify I am in the right spot, and take a seat in the waiting room of courtroom 103. The aid I spoke with told me to check in with the prosecutor once the courtroom opened.
At 9:30am a gentleman came into the waiting room and asked if anyone was there for a 10am trial who hadn't checked in yet. I flagged him down, and showed him my paperwork, only to be told that my case was of a different nature than the ones he was working, and another prosecutor would be working my case. She walked in the door at exactly that moment, and the gentleman informed her that I was one of her witnesses.
She came over and sat next to me, verified my paperwork, then told me that they were going to stay the charges in the case as they had a plea on other pending charges (which I assume were the impaired, and the leaving the scene). She thanked me for coming in, told me my civil duty had been done, and I was free to go.
Free to drive the 3 hours back to Penetang, without ever actually having made it into the court room.
While I was partially relieved to not have to sit on the stand, and go through the whole process, a big part of me would have appreciated a phone call informimg me of this before I made the 3 hour drive down in the first place...
I politely thanked the prosecutor...I figured as a civil servant she has to deal with enough idiots, why get upset about it?...she was just doing her job, so I jumped back in the car and hit the highway.
I could tell it was going to be a long day.
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