"Sovereign" Citizen Charged with DWI Says Court doesn't have power to punish me...Court's opinion differs.

This man claims that the court doesn't have the power to punish him.  That argument didn't exactly work.

Sovereign citizen’ loses DWI trial in Northland
KC Star Reports- By: Brian Burnes, bburnes@kcstar.com

A Platte County jury has found a self-described “sovereign citizen” guilty of driving while intoxicated and driving without a license.  Jurors on Monday convicted Adam David Mael, 32, of Kansas City, North during a one-day trial.  A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper had stopped Mael in October 2010. Mael allegedly performed poorly during field sobriety tests and refused to provide breath and blood samples after being arrested and taken to the Platte County jail.  Further investigation revealed that Mael’s driver’s license had been revoked for refusing a breath test in July 2010.

When a trooper read Mael his Miranda rights, Mael said: “I give you no jurisdiction over me, and I do not submit to anything you say about me.”  Mael represented himself during Monday’s trial, citing the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation in his opening statement and arguing that the government had no authority over him. He also subpoenaed Gloria Boyer, county recorder of deeds, in an apparent attempt to demonstrate that the government didn’t own the road on which he had been driving.

The jury recommended three-and six-month sentences, respectively, for the DWI and driving without a license convictions.  Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd described Mael as one of growing number of people who claim they have not consented to government jurisdiction, but the jury’s verdict didn’t concern that issue.  “It was about keeping our community safe from drunk drivers,” Zahnd said.  “After a 12-hour day hearing evidence and rendering a verdict, these jurors unanimously recommended this defendant spend six months in jail,” he said.

Mael is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 11.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/12/06/3304948/soverign-citizen-loses-dwi-trial.html#ixzz1g4Bzmcej

What to do when you go to court on a speeding ticket.

When you are given a traffic ticket or speeding ticket in Kansas here are the things that you need to know about going to court.

1. The speeding ticket usually has a summons on the bottom and there is a date that you are required to go to court on to address the speeding ticket.
A. Having to go to work is not a reason to miss court.
B. Having to go to school is not a reason to miss court.
C. Getting married is not a reason to miss court.
D. Graduation is not a reason to miss court.
E. There are only two valid reasons to miss court.  YOU’RE DEAD or your IN JAIL

One of the worst things you can do is miss court!
If you miss court then one or many of these things will happen.
1. You will have a bench warrant issued.
2. Your license will be suspended.
3. You will be assessed an additional fee.
4. You will have to pay an appearance bond to get a new court date.
5. You will make the prosecutor angry with you.
6. You will make the judge angry with you.

2. You need to dress appropriately.
You need to dress in a way that puts your best foot forward in a courtroom.  You need to wear clothes that fit you and wear them as they are intended to be worn.  If you show respect to the court in your attire then the court will show respect to you.

Things NOT to wear.
1. Don't wear a hat in the courtroom.
2. Don't wear clothes that have any words on them.
3. Don't wear T-shirts.
4. Don't wear shorts.
5. Don't wear clothes that are several sizes to big.
6. Don't wear anything in your hair.
7. Don't wear bandannas
8. Don't wear excessive amounts of large jewelry.
9. Don't wear flip flops.

3. Don't expect anyone to help you.
Court Staff
It’s a harsh statement but it’s true.  Court staff are overworked and underpaid.  Remember when you go into a courtroom it is not anyone’s job to help you or guide you or give you information.  There is no person that is employed by the court to tell you what to do or to where to go.  Helping you is what attorneys do. 

Attorneys you haven't hired
Don't come up to an attorney that you haven't hired and expect them to help you.  Don't expect an attorney you haven't hired to give you any information at all.  There are some attorneys that will point you in the right direction or give you some information.  You need to think of it like this, when attorneys are in court they are working and its not their responsibility to help you.  If you are an auto mechanic you’re not going to tell someone step by step how to fix their car unless they pay you.  Same goes with attorneys.  For the most part attorneys do not care what your problem is unless you pay them to care.

4. You need to remember where you are.
A court room is not a democracy; it is not a place where you have the same amount of power as everyone else.  A court room is not the workplace, or school, or playground.  It is a serious place.  People go jail, people have to pay large sums of money, both good and bad things happen.  You need to remember where you are and act accordingly. 

Things you should not do.
1. Act up.
2. Cuss.
3. Talk on a Cell phone.
4. Have a cell phone on in any fashion.
5. Talk loudly.
6. Pick up women.
7. Disrespect anyone.

5. Be polite to everyone.
The smartest thing you can do when you go into any court is be polite and respectful to everyone.  In the hallway be polite and respectful.  In the lobby be polite and respectful.  In the courtroom be polite and respectful.  In the parking lot outside the courtroom be polite and respectful.  Be polite and respectful to court staff.

You never know who has the power in the courtroom until it is too late.  The difference between being polite and respectful to someone in the parking lot can make a huge difference in the outcome of your case.