Originally Posted by LittleBigMan

Deputyjones, you are in law enforcement. Consider this:

One day, two weeks into the new year, a police officer pulled me over in my car. She approached my window. I did not know my offense. She informed me my tag was expired--by two weeks. The law states I am guilty, it did not matter that my wife does these things and she let her birthday (tag renewal day) pass by two weeks. So I ended up in court.

In court, I watched drivers with exactly the same offense get a reduced fine of $25. The full fine would have been about $185. So I was optimistic. I watched as person after person was called forward, but not me. I had spent many hours just waiting in line to get into the courthouse in the first place, and I was tired. I noticed other people getting up and filing up to the clerk without being called by the judge. Eventually, I did the same. The clerk said nothing.

After a while, a man came out and started calling names of people to be transferred to another courtroom. I was among them, along with others who had "jumped the line." My turn came.

"That's $185 for creating a dangerous situation."

I asked the judge if I could speak. I meekly mentioned that the other judge had been lenient to the tune of $25. "Not in my courtroom!" he snapped.(he was younger than I.)

Now I know that judges can interpret the law according to their pleasure, within given parameters. I'm not sure the law needs ambiguity of any sort that might work against me.