Bigger & Harman, APC - May 2021

Bigger & Harman, APC - May 2021

BIGGER

To Arthur and Mrs. Jones A MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE THE DAILY DRIVER Attorneys Defending Your Right to the Road When I noticed that Memorial Day was coming up, it reminded me of a person who left a lasting impact on my life. She wasn’t a woman who served in the military herself, but she did lose her son during the Vietnam War. I met Mrs. Waltraud “Judy” Jones while mowing lawns around the neighborhood as a teenager. After working outside, she’d invite me inside to have a ginger beer and cool down. Often, she’d tell me stories about her fascinating life. Mrs. Jones grew up in Germany, saw the tyranny of the Nazi regime, and managed to escape after World War II when she married a U.S. soldier. She eventually became a high fashion model, and a host of the show “Accent,” one of the first women’s talk shows. She had a profound appreciation for American values and freedom and spoke proudly of her son, Sgt. Arthur Albert Smith, who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving during the Vietnam War. Sgt. Smith served as an Army Green Beret in Vietnam. Tragically, he never made it back to our sleepy little town of Simsbury, Connecticut. Mrs. Jones kept a display of Sgt. Smith’s uniform in her house, and I remember fondly the memories she’d share. Mrs. Jones was an incredibly proud mother, and rightfully so.

Toll-Free (661) 859-1177 Se Habla Español www.bakersfieldtraffictickets.com HARMAN CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC DEFENSE ATTORNEYS , APC

MAY 2021

“Mrs. Jones kept a display of Sgt. Smith’s uniform in her house, and I remember fondly the memories she’d share. Mrs. Jones was an incredibly proud mother, and rightfully so.”

Mrs. Jones passed away only a few years after those couple summers that I worked in her yard. When I learned of her passing, I reflected on our time spent together and the tribute that she kept for her son. All military families deserve so much recognition for their sacrifices. While we honor the lives of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom at the end of the month, let’s also give special thanks to the families that they’ve left behind. We’ve all heard that “freedom isn’t free.” As a teenager, I realized its price included the tribute to Sgt. Smith in Mrs. Jones’s living room and the tears of a proud mother reflected in its glass case.

–Paul Harman

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SAVING LIVES ONE HOLE AT A TIME

AUSTRALIAN WOMBATS IN CHARGE

Remember the Australian wildfires of 2019–2020? These fires ravaged large areas of the country, displacing and leaving countless animals to fight for survival. To make matters worse, swaths of the country have been dealing with drought. It’s one challenge after another for humans and animals alike. But one species has taken matters into its own “hands.” Numerous wombats have been discovered digging holes in search of water — and they found it! According to Australia’s ABC News, one group of wombats was discovered on a farm in New South Wales, which was situated over a large underground reservoir. So, the wombats went to work. One farmer, Ted Finnie, reported that wombats dug a hole roughly 4 meters deep by 20 meters wide (or about 65 feet). Their incredible work made this source of water remarkably accessible.

At this particular watering hole, Finnie captured all sorts of creatures on camera — birds, emus, possums, echidnas, and monitor lizards — congregating around the wombats’ creation. What isn’t known is how, exactly, the wombats discovered the water, but they surmise the animals likely picked up on environmental clues and dug until they found what they were looking for. Interestingly enough, wombats have been known to help other animals in the past. During the Australian fires, countless animals were left searching for refuge, and they found it in wombat burrows. While the wombats weren’t exactly welcoming other species into their homes with open arms, they seemed to “tolerate” the visitors, as one ecologist with the University of Adelaide noted. It was a case of accidental heroism, much like their search for water, but it was heroism nonetheless.

Should I Consider Hiring an Attorney for an Out-of-State Ticket? YES — HERE’S WHY

It’s vacation season! Have you ever wondered what would happen if you got an out-of-state ticket? Would you need a traffic attorney, and, if so, from which state would you hire the attorney to represent you? Say, for instance, you go up to Vegas for the weekend, and on the way back, you get a speeding ticket. If you just want to pay the fine, you could go online and search for the traffic court and see if they accept online payments. Most jurisdictions do. You can easily punch in your debit card or credit card number, pay the fine, and be done with it. But, are you really done with it? Most likely, with the Driver’s License Compact (DLC) and the Nonresident Violator Compact (NVC), the payment of the fine is only the beginning. Chances are

your home state (the state where you’re licensed) or the ticketing state belongs to one or both of these compacts. That means the states agree with each other to notify the home state of a conviction, failure to appear or pay (FTA/FTP), or otherwise resolve a ticket in their state. The result is that the home state will treat the situation as if it happened in their state. Therefore, if you go to Vegas, get a speeding ticket, and pay the fine, Nevada will notify the California DMV, and when your auto insurance comes up for renewal, you could be looking at an increased insurance premium. That’s one good reason to consult with an attorney who practices in the jurisdiction where you received the ticket. You may be able to get the ticket dismissed or prevent it from being reported on your California driving record.

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THE $10,000 LA SPEEDING TICKET

INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION Thanks to your referrals, we were able to give $1,200 to fight human trafficking. To learn more about International Justice Mission, please go to IJM.org. MISSION: To protect the poor from violence by rescuing victims, bringing the criminals to justice, restoring survivors to safety and strength, and helping local law enforcement build a safe future that lasts. Our long-term vision is to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice for the poor unstoppable.

You might look at this headline with due skepticism — however, a ticket for driving over 100 mph may actually end up costing some people $10,000.

The portion of Interstate 5 between Los Angeles and San Francisco is the most common stretch of highway for a driver to receive a ticket for driving over 100 mph. The second most common area is on Interstate 15 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. If you receive a ticket for driving over 100 mph, you may have a mandatory traffic court appearance in the county in which you received the ticket. Unlike a “normal” speeding ticket, you may not be able to simply pay it off over the phone or by mailing a check. Therefore, you, or an attorney, must frequently return to that county for arraignment and trial. You might read online that first offenders convicted of speeding over 100 mph can be fined a maximum of $500, get assessed two Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS) points, and have the judge pull their driving privileges for 30 days if convicted. However, the $500 “fine” does not include all of the additional “civil” penalties and fees that have been added by the legislature, which makes the total much more than $500. In many counties, the ultimate fine is in excess of $2,100. That is a shock to many people who believe that the maximum fine is less than one-quarter of that amount. What’s worse is that your fine is often minimal when compared to the increased auto insurance premiums that you may face. Your insurance costs could double or triple, costing you extra thousands a year. If you wait to contact an attorney until after you go to court, it may be too late to pursue all of your options. Therefore, always consult a traffic attorney before deciding whether to go to court alone or to have an attorney handle the matter for you.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 CORINTHIANS 9:8

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, APC HARMAN CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC DEFENSE ATTORNEYS BIGGER

Toll-Free (661) 859-1177 Se Habla Español www.bakersfieldtraffictickets.com

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

A Memorial Day Tribute.................................. PAGE 1

Australian Wombats Are Saving the Day!............................................................... PAGE 2

Handling an Out-of-State Ticket. ................. PAGE 2

The $10,000 LA Speeding Ticket................. PAGE 3

99-Year-Old Betty White’s Secrets of Longevity...................................................... PAGE 4

Have a ticket in California? Give us a call, and we’ll help you out! Regardless of the location, we can point you in the right direction free of charge! BETTY WHITE’S SECRETS OF LONGEVITY How to Live to 99

BE OPTIMISTIC

Beloved “Golden Girls” actress Betty White is still enjoying her golden years. The famed actress celebrated her 99th birthday this January. While she told People magazine that she’s “blessed with good health, so turning 99 is no different than turning 98,” she also had a few tips for folks looking to make it to their centennial birthday.

puzzles! She told Katie Couric in an interview, “I’m addicted. An admitted addict. I just can’t put ’em down.” FIND A CAUSE White is a lifelong animal lover. She calls her golden retriever, Pontiac, “the star of the house.” While pet ownership itself comes with proven health benefits, White has channeled her love for animals in bigger causes. She’s been a trustee and board member of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association for over 40 years and has done work to help protect endangered species in the wild. Funds raised from White’s official fan club, Bet’s Pets, all go to support animal charities. EMBRACE YOUR VICES White told Parade she loves vodka and hot dogs “probably in that order,” which just goes to show that you don’t have to forgo your treats to live to 99.

White says a good sense of humor also helps her keep a good attitude and look for the positive rather than “dwelling on the downside.”

Avoiding negativity also gives her energy. “It takes up too much energy being negative,” she told People magazine.

STAY BUSY With nearly eight decades of acting

under her belt, six Emmys on her shelf, and over 120 screen credits to her name, White is no stranger to hard work. As she told Parade in 2018, “I just love to work, so I’ll keep working until they stop asking.” EXERCISE YOUR MIND In addition to her busy work schedule, what keeps Betty White sharp? Crossword

KEEP LAUGHING “Don’t take yourself too seriously,” White says. “You can lie to others — not that I would — but you cannot lie to yourself.” White has undoubtedly provided many laughs to viewers over the years, but she’s not just playing it up for the camera. Laughter is part of what keeps her young.

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