If you are going through the criminal justice system, you should learn some of the lingo. Some words and phrases for the day: CATCH A CHAIN: Getting transported to prison. PAPER READY: A defendant's felony case is completed, and he is ready to be transported to prison. GETTING PSYCHED: For most of the world, getting excited, enthused, or mentally prepared. In the criminal justice system, submitting to a psychological evaluation to determine if you are mentally competent to stand trial.
TWO BRAIN CELLS SHY OF A COMPETENCY HEARING: Crazy. Okay, this one's not common, but I heard it recently and liked it. ROCKET DOCKET: In some counties, a regularly-scheduled court docket on which a court tries to cram an unusually large number of cases through the system in a single day. In other counties, a case calendar that make cases go from zero to jury trial setting in under sixty seconds. RESET: Normal people reschedule. Criminal lawyers reset. WARRANT ROUND-UP. The Sheriff and County Attorney are up for reelection, so it's time to arrest a few truckloads full of people on ten year old Class C misdemeanors.