Court Appearance (#2)

(For context, start here: Part 1 or for the most-recent entry: Part 5)

The Monday after Thanksgiving, I again geared up for and attended a court appearance. And, again, I was anticipating a quick, painless result. And, again, I was wrong.

Turns out the State still hadn't been able to contact the pedestrian and were asking for yet another continuence.  (!)

The one difference is that the judge asked me if I wanted to enter a plea. I felt helpless as even to know how to answer. Did I want to enter a plea?! I had no idea. Then, he explained that it'd be good to enter a plea - one way or another - simply because then I would be guaranteed that everything would be finalized in no longer than six months. (Chalk that up to another thing I learned in this process: my right to a speedy trial (ie - closier in no more than six months) began once I entered a plea.) So, timidly and tentatively, I pled "not guilty." That way, come what may, this nightmare would have to be over by the end of May. (The idea that it would actually drag out that long didn't really enter my mind - I couldn't fathom that it could really be another six months before closure came to this seemingly simple case.)

But, other than that slight change, I once again left with no closure, not knowing what in the world was going to happen and where things stood. And, due to the holidays, the next court appearance wasn't scheduled until the middle of January....so I'd have to wait for six long weeks.