See? It you’d just returned the envelope with the small cash “fine”, you’d have saved yourself time and money. But, Noooooo!
You had to involve the nice lady behind the library’s front desk and plead “Not Guilty” and act like a smarty pants lawyer.

That’s what happens when you don’t sleep through Civics Class in High School. You think that all those rights have something to do with you. Instead of getting a job in the trades, you go to college and law school.

Next time, try the Chicago Way. Take Vito (or Bubba — although he tends to drool on the car seats when you’re driving to court), not the Librarian. And take a picture of the Magistrate’s kids, and not the letter from the airline saying they lost your bags. Then, when you’re asked to plead, you say “Nice family ya got there. Be a shame if sumthun was ta happen. By the way, you a memba of The Union?” That works much better than relying on law and evidence.

The airline told me that they were not responsible because they had found my luggage. If I would have paid for the books they would have reimbursed me.

Rare books are not loaned out, obviating the problem of trying to replace an invaluable, unique example.

I’ve definitely lost a few books in travel, so now only take out paperbacks when there’s a chance they’ll be lost.

The magistrate who ignored the librarian’s testimony to find you guilty sounds like a moron. Does your State have any provision for removing him from office? Or, in my sheltered world, have I failed to notice that such obtuseness is considered normal by our judical community?