Stuck in traffic en route to court, Georgia lawyer is told to pay $200 to charity when she arrives
A Georgia judge overseeing a high-profile trial about cheating on standardized tests at Atlanta public schools had warned attorneys at the outset that they could face a $200 fine if they were late to court.
On Wednesday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter lowered the boom.
“Pick out a legitimate charity and donate $200 and give me proof in a reasonable amount of time,” he told attorney Annette Greene as she belatedly arrived at his courtroom, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Other lawyers and a defendant have been a few minutes late to court without incurring the penalty, the newspaper says.
However, it appears that Greene, who said she was stuck in traffic en route to court, may have pushed the boundaries.
In October, WGCL reported that an unidentified defense attorney in the case was fined $200 by Baxter after being warned about being late the day before.
Greene represents a former elementary school teacher who was among nearly three dozen defendants charged in the case, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in August.
At that time, Greene urged Baxter to rethink trying the case in the courtroom, as modified for the trial, contending those in back couldn’t see the witness stand.
“I don’t see a problem,” the judge told her, after going to the back of the courtroom to take a look himself. “You can see the witness stand. There may be three or four jurors you can’t see, but I just don’t see the problem, and your motion is denied. I sat on the back row and I could see the witness stand. Bring a step ladder in there if you want to, I don’t know.”
Defendant educators in the case are accused of participating in a racketeering conspiracy to inflate students’ test scores, allegedly motivated by a desire for bonuses or simply to retain their jobs.
Of the 35 individuals originally charged, 21 took pleas, one died and trial was delayed for a woman experiencing health issues, WGCL reported last month.
Prospective jurors were warned in August that they could be fined $200 if they were late to court, the AJC and WABE reported at the time. The Daily Report (sub. req.) also noted the potential penalty.
