Independence H-D said:

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Had a fraternity brother in college who got thrown in jail for essentially not returning movies. A warrant was issued for the movies and he failed to appear.

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CanyonAg77 said:

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Looks like she was given clear instructions on how to resolve this issue and either 1) defiantly chose not to respond, or 2) "forgot".

I'm betting 1, and that this lady was trying to tell the local officials to go pound sand, so they've called her bluff.

And of course now she cries and runs to make a gofundme to maybe make a buck out of this.

No sympathy for this chach magoo

Al Bula said:

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Although there's almost too many great episodes of Seinfeld to count, that is truly one of the best ones.

You could tell to that they probably had to do multiple takes of those scenes because Seinfeld almost loses it several times.

I lived in Navasota for three years in the early 90's while I was a pastor there. Most messed up small town I have ever seen, and I have lived in my share. I wouldn't be so sure there is more to the story. The corruption was so rampant there.

rocky the dog said:

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When you log in just to star one of Rocky's posts.

Chuck Norris lives in Grimes County. Makes you think.

Meanwhile a caravan of illegals strolls on by with their Biden shirts on.

Judge Gruner looks exactly as you'd expect

Judge Karen?

The whole situation is out of proportion.

ABATTBQ11 said:

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Judge Gruner looks exactly as you'd expect

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Ewwww

Was the appendix removed?

Im Gipper said:

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itsyourboypookie said:

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Martin Cash said:

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itsyourboypookie said:

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Texasclipper said:

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While Grimes is rural and I expect they don't mess around, I also suspect there is more to this story than the "I got busy and forgot" being said.

Perhaps they made the judge mad so she is "following the law to the maximum extent"?

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Judge is most likely a JP. No law school needed for him or the people before him.

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Nope, municipal judge for City of Navasota.

There's a lot of missing information here. Libraries can't issue warrants.

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Ok. But isn't this a civil matter?

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City ordinance makes it a crime.

She was given notice in May to return the books and pay the fine, or a warrant would issue.

She did not do so at the time.


https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2024/04/01/stay-at-home-houston-area-mother-faces-jail-time-after-arrest-warrant-issued-for-unreturned-library-book/

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My only criminal trial, if you want to call it that, was an alleged violation of a city ordinance by my client. The ordinance was an obscure "obnoxious odor" ordinance. What was my client doing, you ask? Painting. Specifically he was finishing out a commercial space. On the weekend. He just happened to be right next to a restaurant. The owner of the restaurant called the police then faked a medical condition, ending up with a circus of EMS out there. The idiot cops end up arresting my client without even knowing what the hell to charge him with.

They settle on this ordinance and we go to trial. The so-called prosecutor, who couldn't win a high school novice debate round, much less a trial, offered a $100 disturbing the peace plea and I told him to stuff it. We actually had a jury trial over this, and I took that guy to school. Speaking of idiots, they had half the fire house that responded waiting all day to testify (probably costing them thousands in overtime) and this captain actually tried to stare me down. I asked him on cross examination what kind of paint was used to trim out the courthouse -- the exact same paint my client was using -- he admitted it was oil based and caused the same odor my client was charged with under the ordinance. The jury was out 10 minutes. Not guilty. I'm sure they were pissed about being there for that circus, but I made sure they knew who to blame.

We thought about suing, but I told my client he'd have to pay me hourly and he didn't want to do that. I got his record expunged. But every time I hear "ordinance" and "criminal" I think of that case and automatically assume local government overreach.

The burden is on the municipality to prove otherwise. To me, anyway.

The lady involved is a friend of mine.

They sent notice to an address she didn't live at and hadn't for some years

Her correct address was the one she used to register for her library card.

She was told someone signed for the notice. She asked to see that documentation and she was refused


Im not a lawyer but is doesnt seem that service was valid

She went to return several books but this particular book would not fit in the book return and they were closed

the book was later returned, but this was all related to an unpaid fine at the library

In the past when I had a fine my library privileges were revoked, not sure when or why that changed

ABATTBQ11 said:

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Judge Gruner looks exactly as you'd expect

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Just woke up from a weird dream and started reading f16 to put me back to sleep. That guy was in my dream and over 7 ft tall; just different hairstyle.

ABATTBQ11 said:

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Judge Gruner looks exactly as you'd expect

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Looks like I'll be taking a "Gruner" after my coffee this morning.

According to Mayor Bert Miller, four applications were received for the position of municipal court judge. Requirements according to State law referenceMunicipal court judges, V.T.C.A., Government Code, sec. 29.004, and the City of Navasota Code of Ordinances, Article VII, applicants (1) "shall have been a resident citizen of the City of Navasota for a period of one year immediately preceding such appointment; (2) shall not hold any other public office except that of notary public; (3) shall have paid up to date all outstanding city taxes and utilities; and (4) shall not have been convicted of a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude."

Article on Judge Gruner's hiring

So these are the qualifications to be municipal court judge in Navasota. Is this person even a lawyer?

I'm wondering if Navasota has themselves a Queen Bee for municipal court judge

Within a couple of years, they'll be sending the SWAT team with no-knock warrants to retrieve overdue books.

More to the story or not, the amount of fine and the decisions by the sorry excuse for a judge, this is ridiculous, absurd and wrong...it's crazy. The judge should be removed and disbarred. All of this is over a book.

strbrst777 said:

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More to the story or not, the amount of fine and the decisions by the sorry excuse for a judge, this is ridiculous, absurd and wrong...it's crazy. The judge should be removed and disbarred. All of this is over a book.

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Again, how do you disbar one who is NOT a lawyer. She's a former mayor. She comes from a political background, not legal.

And how would you disbar a lawyer-judge for following the law?

Im Gipper said:

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And how would you disbar a lawyer-judge for following the law?

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. ________ I don't know the process of removing a judge...just saying that she is not fit to be a judge. Tell me how the law requires a judge to threaten jail and be a jerk in addressing the "guilty" person over failure to return a book, for crying out loud.

itsyourboypookie said:

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What Texas law allows this? Any attorney's want to weigh in?

JUST IN: Texas mom faces jail time over late library book!

In March 2023, Kaylee rented books for her homeschooled kids from the Navasota Public Library in Grimes County, Texas. Kaylee was experiencing hyperemesis and placenta previa during her pregnancy, which led to the… pic.twitter.com/MOUzLdCAfJ

— Corey Thompson (@Roughneck2real) April 2, 2024

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Idiotic.

Interestingly though, the book was The Great Gatsby and had the word 'gay' in it so she's also on the hook for obscenity.

This has made the news here in DFW now, I'm sure the Navasota Chamber is loving it.

Here's how voir dire would go:

Prosecutor: *Asks any question of the jury pool

Juror: "We're here for overdue library books? Are you ****ing kidding? There's not a person in this room who's going to give you a conviction after wasting our whole day over ****ing library books."