【Evenacarefulmotorist(开汽车的人)maycommitamotoringoffence(违法).Inthiscase,hewillappearinapolicecourt.Thisisacourtruledbyajudgewithoutajury(陪审团).Ajudgehaspowerstopasssentenceforrelativelyminoroffenc】

　　Evenacarefulmotorist(开汽车的人)maycommitamotoringoffence(违法).Inthiscase,hewillappearinapolicecourt.Thisisacourtruledbyajudgewithoutajury(陪审团).Ajudgehaspowerstopasssentenceforrelativelyminoroffencesonly;seriouschargesaredealtwithbyajudgeandajury.

　　Incertaincases,amotoringoffendermaychoosetogobeforeajudgeandajury,insteadofappearingbeforejustajudge.Acourtisalsousedfortheconductofpreliminaryinvestigationstodeterminewhetherornotamotoringoffendershallappearfortrialinahighercourt.

　　Whenhiscasecomesupincourt,themotoristhearshisnamecalledbytheclerkofthecourt,andcomesforwardtoidentifyhimself.Thejudgethencallsforthepolicemanwhochargedtheoffenderandaskshimtogiveevidence.

　　Heisexpectedtohaveanaccountofwhathappenedwhentheoffencewascommittedandtomentionanyspecialcircumstances.Forexampletheoffencemayhavebeenpartlyduetothefoolishnessofanothermotorist.Itwouldbeunwiseforthemotoringoffendertoexaggeratethis.Itwillnothelphiscasetotrytoblamesomeoneelseforhisownmistake.

　　Ifyouareguilty,itisofcoursewisetoadmititandsayyou’resorryforcommittingtheoffenceandtakingupthecourt’stime.Judgesarenotheartlessandamotoristmaybeluckyenoughtohearonesay:“You’vegotgoodreasons,butyouhavebrokenthelawandI’llhavetoimposeafine.Payfivepounds.Nextcase.”

　　Someshort-temperedpeopleforgetthatbothpolicemenandjudgeshaveapublicdutytoperform,andarerudetothem.Thisdoesnotpay!Ajudgewillnotletoffanoffendermerelybecauseheisrespectful,butapolitelaw-breakermaycertainlyhopethatthejudgewillextendhimwhattolerancethelawpermits.