Firenze Sage: Justice for sale

A Rhode Island man has finally settled a warrant issued for a traffic violation in Massachusetts nearly four decades ago.

Michael Young, of Warwick, R.I., asked a judge in Attleboro District Court on Tuesday to dismiss a driving to endanger charge issued in September 1974.

The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro reports that Judge Daniel O’Shea noted that half the people in court had not even been born at the time of the traffic violation. He granted Young’s request, dismissing the case with payment of $100 in court costs. The court just had to get its lousy $100. The defendant should have demanded a jury trial unless they dropped the $100.

written by FirenzeSage48@gmail.com
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Some information about the judge:
Judge Daniel J. O’Shea is the new Attleboro District Court first justice. The full press release follows:

Lynda M. Connolly, Chief Justice for the District Court Department of the Massachusetts Trial Court, appointed Honorable Daniel J. O’Shea as First Justice of the Attleboro District Court, effective March 30, 2010.

Judge O’Shea graduated cum laude from the New England School of Law, and was admitted to practice in Massachusetts in 1990. Before his 2005 appointment to the District Court by Governor Mitt Romney, Judge O’Shea was an Administrative Judge and Senior Judge at the Department of Industrial Accidents. Other legal experience includes his time as a Staff Attorney for the Commonwealth Energy System and Adjunct Faculty positions at Suffolk University, Stonehill College, Anna Maria College, Quincy College and his alma mater Norwich University. He also serves on the Appellate Division of the District Court.

In making this appointment Chief Justice Connolly stated, “Judge O’Shea brings a solid record of achievement to the position of First Justice. He is bright, capable and hardworking, and he has extensive administrative experience. Judge O’Shea is an accomplished judge and is someone who will work collaboratively with the various entities in the community that interact with the Attleboro District Court.”

The First Justices of the District Courts are selected from among the entire pool of District Court Judges by the Chief Justice of the District Court, subject to the approval of the Chief Justice for Administration and Management. First Justices serve five-year terms which are subject to renewal at the end of that period.
The Attleboro District Court serves the communities of Attleboro, Mansfield, North Attleboro and Norton and is located at 88 N. Main Street, Attleboro, MA 02703.