Amnesty Day Thank God

Friday, December 9, 2022, was a good day for hundreds of citizens in Monroe. One of those citizens was Augie Bosley. Bosley was at Monroe City court, Division A, to take advantage of the one-day set aside for those who wanted to clear up legal issues to avoid further action by authorities. On Amnesty Day, a citizen can call to see if they are eligible for forgiveness for things like traffic violations or missed court dates. Those with violent crimes are most often excluded from receiving amnesty. In announcing Amnesty 2022, all persons with outstanding warrants with the Monroe City Court in Division A were urged to come to court on December 9, 2022 to resolve their matters. Bosley said that being in a courtroom setting is not unfamiliar, but it was so much different on that day. One thing that stood out to Bosley was how everyone was treated. “There must have been about a hundred people there,” said Bosley. Bosley also noted that things ran efficiently, as people could handle their business. The court ran things that made people feel welcome and that they were very courteous to those that attended. One of the things that impressed Bosley was the layout of food prepared for those who might have to spend hours before their case was heard. “There were sub sandwiches, coffee, milk, pastries, and water, enough to feed everybody," said Bosley. Bosley said that this courtroom setting was unlike anything in other courtrooms as, at times, things had been combative. Bosley agreed this was a way for the city to give back to the community. “It lifted me as occasions like this help people." she said. Something like that showed that a court cares for citizens, and something like that can be appreciated. Bosley is appreciative because things might have turned out so differently if it hadn’t been Amnesty Day. Everything was done in order, and it was good that people could come in and clean up their record. Bosley said that the court officers, the judge, and the prosecutor did their jobs and were in order. Bosley noted that those who took advantage of the offer by the city should “thank God” for Amnesty Day, knowing that they have one less burden to bear. Bosley also extends warm holiday wishes and a Happy New Year to all.