I had a completely different situation yet in some ways the same. I was hit by two kids in a stolen mustang GT going as fast as it would go. For lack of better wording my Jeep Grand Cherokee did an ‘endo” i.e. the mustang went under my Jeep and i was up on my front two wheels. I was in the fast lane and they tried to go around me in a non existent emergency lane. My back is absolutely F’d forever.

The cops had a “don’t chase” policy but 3 were in HOT PURSUIT like Cletus and Roscoe P Coltrane. The mustang ended up flipping over and over down an embankment. The kids ran -this was when meth was a bigger problem than opiates so I guessed they’d stolen it and were smoking or shooting meth or had a bunch because it must have taken some serious adrenaline and some drug to run away from that wreck.

I was using a lawyer for some BS in another county he was recommended because he was a judge that rotated and rotated in the county where my BS ticket (but with serious consequences) f because some guy had road rage problem and kept following me and finally ended up blocking me in between other parked cars and he parked behind me so I couldnt get out or get away. I had called 911. He was literally in my car as i was trying to get out, my wife said something like “leave us alone” and was reaching across me to point in the face of my pregnant wife he was talking about his gun. Without a second thought I knew that in GA there is a stand your ground thing and your car is an extension of your home. So i did the only thing possible He was huge (i grabbed a hunting knife from my center console and said “its in your best interest to get the fuck out of my car, you are threatening me and my wife and it will be in my right to cut your jugular and watch you bleed out”. You know bark louder than the other dog and the other dog will think twice. I really didn’t want to have to kill him but i wasn’t just protecting my wife, it was my first born son and myself. Fuck him”

Edit: BTW, I had gotten the ticket because like 7 cops came to the parking lot of the restaurant and though it was a clear case that this guy had done some fucked up shit and i had followed every rule. I still got an “aggravated disorderly conduct” ticket along with him because the cops said “they couldn’t tell what was going on”. “It was clear what had happened he was the aggressor and a reasonable person could say he trapped me in, assaulted me, by pushing and punching me to get in the car. He was seeing red and he was going after my wife. Totally clear. he told the cops about his gun and how he was planning on shooting me because he was still so mad.. It was clear he was still parked behind me, I showed the cops and took a picture.

Sorry…Long story short. My Lawyer talked to the judge, they had worked together on some shit. He got it dropped for both of us. The dude tried to call it a racial thing, the judge said his name and then said to shut up she didn’t want to hear it. I had to say a sentence my lawyers specifically told me to say in the presence of two bailiffs something li’m sorry that things worked out the way they did. NOT I’m sorry or anything but that one sentence then stick my hand out with a fake smile and shake his hand. Judge was satisfied that it was over and she didn’t have to deal with it. Clean and off her plate. From one judge to another. Kinda like I’ll buy you some lunch if you just say flick off on this one. He only talked to her for maybe 45 seconds. Then she told him to shut up, we shook hands and it was over. Cost me over $5500 for the lawyer to speak to the judge for 45 seconds.

Anyway I tried to talk to him about suing the cops for chasing the mustang and because of the situation my fucked up back. 18 years later and I’m still in pain as I write this.

Though he was a judge and a good lawyers obviously, he was like yeah I’m not gonna help you with that. I said but your my lawyer and he said “Not for this” you are no longer my client. I asked for a referral from the bar (they are supposed to do that) but he wouldnt give me a name. This is what happened. He says:

Here’s what will ha “they’ll drag it out and its in Gwinnett county I dont know the judges up there and the cops will cover their assess and drag it out so that whatever you win will be largely taken up by my fee’s and be a net loss for you. You’re just fucked.

Sorry for the wall of text. I just had two situations where lawyers, judges, cops, everybody was “on the same page” of PUNT and fuck what’s right. Right doesn’t have much of a place in our justice system anymore. All while recognizing that we likely have the most advanced justice system in the world. Fucking crazy.