In Virginia, they threaten Justice with jail merely for speeding

On a recent drive around the Beltway - that parking lot posing as a highway that encircles Washington, D.C. - a friend of mine named Justice confronted someone most of us have: Slow Fast-Lane Driver. My friend didn’t want to tailgate so Justice cut over two lanes to make the pass.

To Justice’s bad luck, a state trooper in an unmarked vehicle happened to witness the pass. To compound Justice’s bad luck, Justice did the deed on the Virginia side, rather than Maryland side. I recently learned that in Virginia, unlike in Maryland, speeding can be a criminal offense punishable by as much as a year in jail.

The trooper stopped Justice, and rather than issue a standard speeding ticket as in most states, Justice received a summons to court. Justice appeared in a Fairfax court this past week and was horrified to learn that Justice was being charged with the criminal offense of reckless driving. Justice observed other people with the same charge who pled guilty and only had to pay a fine and leave. Some of them had caused accidents and didn't have licenses, unlike Justice. So Justice thought that was the procedure.

Justice was wrong. The judge said to get an attorney and threatened to jail Justice when my friend asked a few questions about the situation. Justice had never had to get a lawyer before and only had a few prior speeding tickets on the record. Justice recently started a business and makes about $200 a week, but the judge denied Justice the right to a court-appointed attorney. The Judge said Justice had to spend Justice's kids' college fund and retirement money on lawyers' fees.

Welcome to Virginia, where Justice is threatened with jail time simply for speeding.

Welcome to Virginia, where the system steals kids' college money and retirees' savings.

Welcome to Virginia, where Justice is denied.