>>>
>>> ON
>>> ON THIS 4@THURSDAY NIGHT, 4 11ALIVE EXCLUSIVE, DUI CASES
DISMISSED WITHOUT A JUDGE
HEARING THE EVIDENCE.
>> NOW, THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE
IS FIGHTING BACK AND 4@APPEALIN
THE DECISION.
THE DECISION. >> REBECCA LINDSTROM EXPLAINS
WHY SOME BELIEVE FOR EV4@ERYBO
SAFETY, IT'S TIME TO LET IT GO.
>> Reporter: YOU CRINGE WHEN
YOU SEE THE BLUE LIGHTS COMING
UP BEHIND YOUR CAR BUT THE
TICKET MAY BE THE ONLY
BEGINNING OF YOUR PROBLEMS.
I SPOKE WITH A DRIVER CAUGHT UP
IN THIS LEGAL BATTLE AND TELLS
US IT'S UNFAIR HOW MUCH TIME
AND MONEY IT'S TAKING HER TO
CLEAR HER NAME.
LAUREN THOMAS SAID WHAT
HAPPENED TO HER CAN HAPPEN TO
ANYONE.
ANYONE.
ANYONE. >> I WON'T EVEN -- LIKE I DON'T
ANYONE. >> I WON'T EVEN -- LIKE I DON'T@
EVEN TOY WITH IT ANYMORE.
>> Reporter: SHE WAS DRIVING A
NEW CAR WITH AUTOMATIC LIGHTS.
WHEN SHE PICKED IT UP FROM
VALET, SHE DOESN'T REALIZE THAT
THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TURNED 4@4@
>> I WAS IN DOWNTOWN 4@ATLANTA,
THERE ARE LIGHTS EVERYWHERE.
I DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO IT.
>> Reporter: BUT POLICE DID.
SHE WILLINGLY PARTICIPATED IN A
FIELD SOBRIETY TEST BUT WHEN 4@
SHE REFUSED TO TAKE A BREATH
TEST FOR ALCOHOL, SHE WAS
ARRESTED FOR DUI.
WERE YOU DRINKING AND DRIVING? @
>> I HAD HAD A FEW SIPS OF A
DRINK.
DRINK.
DRINK. WAS I INTOXICATED?
NO.
NO.
NO. >>
NO. >> Reporter: IT WAS HER WORD
AGAINST THE OFFICER'S FIELD
SOBRIETY TEST, SO SHE LOST HER
LICENS4@E FOR A YEAR.
IT WOULD TAKE ANOTHER 10 MONTHS
FOR THE SOLICITOR TO ANNOUNCE
THE PLANS 4@TO PROSECUTE HER FO
DUI.
DUI.
DUI. THERE ARE NO APOLOGIES FOR THE
DELAY.
DELAY.
DELAY. >>
DELAY. >> SHE WOULD BE HELD TO THE
HIGHEST STANDARD.
HIGHEST STANDARD. >> Reporter: THOMAS WAS JUST 4@
4@
>> Reporter: THOMAS WAS JUST 4@ ONE OF 29,000 BACKLOG CASES
PROMISED TO BE REVOLVED.
ADDING TO THE PROBLEM, AFTER A
WAVE OF ATTORNEYS LEFT, THEY
WERE SHORT FIVE FULL-TIME
POSITIONS BUT IT HASN'T STOPPED
THEM PUSHING FOR JURY TRIALS 4@
SETTLE FOR DUI OFFENSES.
>> THAT BAFFLES ME.
WE CAN BE DONE IN MOST
CIRCUMSTANCES HALF A DAY OR A
JURY TRIAL CAN TAKE TWO DAYS OR
MORE.
MORE.
MORE. >>
MORE. >> Reporter: IT 4@BACKED UP AN
ALREADY-CLOGGED CALENDAR, AND
INSISTS IT'S A CASE BY CASE
BASIS.
BASIS.
BASIS. >>
BASIS. >> I DON'T LIKE THE 4@TERM
ALWAYS.
ALWAYS.
ALWAYS. >> Reporter: I HEARD THAT IN
COURT FROM YOUR OWN OFFICE.
>> I DON'T TH4@INK THAT4@'S RIG
MINDED.
MINDED.
MINDED. >> Reporter: HE SAID THE DAY
THEY WENT TO COURT, THEY WERE
NOT PROPERLY SERVED WITH THE
WITNESS LIST OR 4@GIVEN THE
RESULTS OF A FIELD SOBRIETY
TEST.
TEST.
TEST. HE
TEST. HE SAID THAT THE DELAYINGS BY
THE SOLICITOR ARE 4@UNFAIR TO H
CLIENT.
CLIENT.
CLIENT. >> YOU HAD AMPLE TIME.
IF WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PUT
THIS TOGETHER FOR 2 AND A HALF @
YEARS, I WILL NOT LET THIS
CONTINUE ON.
CONTINUE ON. >> Reporter: THE JUDGE
DISMISSED THOMAS'S CASE AND 26 @
OTHERS THAT DAY.
SOME ARGUE THAT THE JUDGE HAD
NO LEGAL 4@RIGHT TO DO IT.
>> HAVING A HARD TIME STANDING
UP RIGHT.
UP RIGHT.
UP RIGHT. WHAT'S GOING ON?
>> I'M FINE.
>> Reporter: ESPECIALLY GIVEN
THE SEVERITY OF THE OTHER 4@
OFFENSES INVOLVED.
OFFENSES INVOLVED. >> I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DRIVE.
>> WHY ARE YOU DRIVING?
>> Reporter: THA4@T DEBATE IS
NOW AT THE HEART OF THE APPEAL
BROUGHT ON BY THE SOLICITOR'S
OFFICE.
OFFICE.
OFFICE. THOMAS IS NOW LIVING IN LAS
VEGAS WHICH MEANS IF SHE LOSES @
THE APPEAL, SHE WILL HAVE TO
COME BACK TO ATLANTA TO PLEAD
HER CASE, A CASE THAT IS
ALREADY THREE YEARS OLD.
THOMAS'S ATTORNEY DID
EVENTUALLY GET THE ATTO4@RNEY I
REQUESTED, THREE MONTHS