Judge Fleischer ERUPTS in Court After Shocking Excuse

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]I can't tell you how upsetting it is the way that you've treated us. It It's It's absolutely just Your case is 1,500 and 80 It's nearly 1,600 days old and you want them to just up.

[00:00:24]And you come in shorts?

[00:00:27]Really?

[00:00:30]Would [clears throat] you go to church looking like this? No, sir.

[00:00:32]So, why come to court like this? I wasn't aware of it.

[00:00:36]It's my first time, actually.

[00:00:37]>> This is a courtroom.

[00:00:41]Don't play this I didn't know. It's is a courtroom.

[00:00:47]You should know how to dress in a courtroom considering that your case is nearly 1,600 days old. How many years is that, Mr. Bowden?

[00:01:00]4 years.

[00:01:06]You have until next Monday to get the mitigation packet done. If you don't have it done, then you will get an immediate 10-day trial setting and I don't care who's got what. State, get ready for trial now, please.

[00:01:22]Get everything that you need to get now because I'm fast-tracking this to trial and I don't care what came this, what came that, Jesus came down prevent you from doing I don't care.

[00:01:35]You have until Monday to get the mitigation packet done and if you have it, then you will either accept the plea bargain from the state or you will get a 10-day trial setting. Do you understand?

[00:01:45]And if you come back again in shorts, I I can't tell you the level of disrespect that shows, not to mention the fact that your case is 4 years old. I mean, it's kick in the ding-ding to us, really.

[00:02:00]And you ought to be ashamed.

[00:02:02]Because that's not the way someone acts.

[00:02:05]Right. Take a seat for me. We'll be back.

[00:02:09]Good morning, Mr. Hodges.

[00:02:12]Um did you run an NCIC on him, please?

[00:02:15]What all does he have open elsewhere?

[00:02:17]Yes, he has several open right now.

[00:02:20]And then if you can refresh my memory with regard to our case as well, please.

[00:02:24]Yes, sir.

[00:02:35]With regard to the open cases in Harris and Galveston, he has an open UCW, a DWI, and a collision involving damage to a vehicle equal to $200.

[00:02:47]So, it's an FSGI, DWI, and a UCW.

[00:02:50]>> Yes, Judge. And then in regard to this case, the officer responded to a criminal mischief and made contact with the complainant where the complainant said that he woke up and realized his tree had been ran into. He checked the surveillance and observed the defendant's motor vehicle colliding into the tree traveling at a high rate of speed and observed the defendant apparently get out of the motor vehicle, walk in front of the vehicle, then get back in, and the officer later observed tire marks damaged on the landscape leading up to the tree, damage to the bricks around the tree as well as damage to the tree itself, leading to damage approximately $200 for the grass and bricks and $2,500 for the tree. And this is like this in the middle of the night, right? Right. Okay. What would you like?

[00:03:30]Judge, I'm asking for no driving condition >> [snorts] >> and the curfew. I get it, it sounds bad, but Judge, he's unable to work. He's an electrician who works throughout the night sometimes.

[00:03:42]>> Well, I'm not going to I don't want you out in the middle of the night, Mr. Hodges. You have four open cases and you're out. You already were given one chance when you got on bond for those three cases out in Galveston. Now you've picked up another case in the middle of the night.

[00:03:55]Are we able to lift the no driving restriction then, you know, and maybe do 5:00 to 10:00 p.m.? Uh it's just the 6:00 to 6:00 kind of interfere with his work schedule, like I said, but I understand completely not wanting to drive at night.

[00:04:10]>> the What's the curfew now? Uh I think it's 6:00 to 6:00.

[00:04:13]>> It's 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

[00:04:15]No, I'm I don't do that bad. It's 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

[00:04:21]Um what do you want, Mr. Hodges?

[00:04:24]I'm not giving you in the middle of the night. I'm telling you that you now. You have four open cases.

[00:04:29]Two This is a potential DWI. So, it's really a DWI and a second DWI. And you want me to let you out in the middle of the night?

[00:04:36]What can we just lift the no driving restriction, Judge?

[00:04:40]But it's a daytime from Can you run his license? Yes, sir.

[00:04:45]It's not eligible, but he has an ODL.

[00:04:48]>> [clears throat] >> Yes, I've seen that ODL before.

[00:04:51]He has an ODL license, Judge.

[00:04:54]Did he have an interlock in his car at the time when he got here?

[00:04:58]I don't believe so. Then I'm not going to do it because he's supposed to have an occupational An occupational always needs an interlock.

[00:05:05]>> have just been but Did you have an interlock when you got it? You're supposed to have an interlock as part of the occupational license.

[00:05:13]You're in violation of your occupational license, you know? [snorts] It may not have required that, Judge.

[00:05:20]Because what I I'm not on the Galveston case, but Show me Do you have a copy of the occupational license?

[00:05:25]>> I can get you one. Show it to me.

[00:05:27]Let me take a look at it and then we'll see. Mr. Hodges, just take a seat for me momentarily. When you find it, come back up and let me know. We'll do. I have the granting of the occupational driver's license. The reason it didn't require interlock is because he had it prior to this. He got it for tickets that were unpaid because he didn't have insurance. He has current active insurance. I have the ODL right here.

[00:05:50]Who gave it to him?

[00:05:51]Um Was it a JP court? Yes. Can imagine knowing that he has that open DWI in Galveston and knowing that he's now picked this case up here where it has an alcohol, I can't imagine that they're going to let you know?

[00:06:06]I Right now it is so active.

[00:06:10]Um So, are we I don't know how comfortable I feel with him driving. Are you mom?

[00:06:19]Come on up, mom.

[00:06:21]Come up, Mr. Hodges.

[00:06:29]Thank you so much for coming.

[00:06:32]How's it been not driving?

[00:06:34]Not enjoyable. Blows, right?

[00:06:37]Good. Wonderful. Because I want you to understand it is a privilege. It's not a right.

[00:06:44]And we do everything in our power here to ensure that we don't kill anyone on the road.

[00:06:50]Watch the news. Every day.

[00:06:53]Every day someone dies on our roads because of an alcohol-related collision.

[00:06:59]It's disgusting.

[00:07:02]And you're familiar with everything that he has open. Yes, I also have familiar that my one of my husbands was killed on the road by someone that was drinking alcohol.

[00:07:12]It's It's It's disgusting. It's so sad, you know? And I took his privilege to drive away because of what's going on with Galveston and now here we have the same situation here. He They didn't charge him with DWI here, but very well could have been. And so the idea is to get you to appreciate it.

[00:07:37]To really feel the pain of not being able to drive because I want you to realize it is an absolute privilege and it is a great privilege and to live in a city this big without the ability to drive really really blows. That's just it. And I don't know if you really appreciate it. You coming up here and just tell me, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm hurt."

[00:08:00]That's not enough. I need to know that you really do appreciate the fact of how big and powerful the awesome it is to drive.

[00:08:10]I'm not ready yet to let you drive. I need to see some kind of proactivity showing me that you really appreciate being able to drive.

[00:08:21]But as it stands now, it's been 30 days since he's had this case here open. He's got the four cases over there and I can tell you now the judge that granted that license if that judge now knows all these cases are open, I would bet my pinky toe that that judge would revoke that license now.

[00:08:45]Because I don't think any judge wants their name on a license with that kind of baggage to it. So, I'm sorry.

[00:08:54]If you need more time at night, I'm happy to give you a little bit more time past 9:00. It's not so much Excuse me, it's not so much the the night. It's where he works. Being an electrician, he has to be there earlier in the morning.

[00:09:08]So, Okay. I'm I'm happy to work with you. One 5:00 in the morning?

[00:09:13]What What time do you want? Um 5:00 would be better. Okay. Done.

[00:09:19]I'll give it to you.

[00:09:21]Show me that you appreciate the fact of driving. I don't know how to do that. Use your imagination.

[00:09:28]Be creative. Ingenuity goes a long way, Mr. Hodges. But you coming up here and tell me, "Oh, I'm so sorry." Does nothing for me.

[00:09:36]Actions speak louder than words and it's only been a mere 30 days since you picked up this case >> [clears throat] >> and not to mention all those other cases that you have in Galveston County. So, you're you are traveling far and wide and the danger to the public is far and wide as well.

[00:09:53]I don't want anyone to die under my book and I don't want anything under my name with that kind of I don't want that kind of baggage in my life. I have hard enough time sleeping as it is.

[00:10:02]Show me and then we can talk again, but I really want you to appreciate it and I don't think you do so far.

[00:10:09]Okay? Thanks a lot.

[00:10:12]I'm searching on Nela Biza.

[00:10:17]Okay.

[00:10:18]This is set for bail review today. It was also set on Friday and got rolled to today.

[00:10:23]>> She is here.

[00:10:24]Um her bond was revoked and raised last week due to her picking up a criminal trespass. So, she does have two ankle monitors on right now and we would just be requesting that one of those come off. Obviously, she knows that she's not supposed to be within 200 ft of um Stereo Live, which is a bar that she was trespassing at. What I don't want is I know I don't want her out in the middle of the night. And that's why we have that on and I'm paying for everything, so nothing is going to come out of her pocket. Come up, Ms. Biza.

[00:11:08]She [clears throat] had the open DWI.

[00:11:11]Just doing whatever she wants to do and now she picks up another case out in the middle of the night. Nothing good happens at 2:00 in the morning and I don't want you out in the middle of the night.

[00:11:20]And the only way that I can enforce that is with the ankle monitor cuz if I take that off, you can run amok and I have no idea what you're doing, where you're going and and what's going on.

[00:11:29]Um I'm like I said, I'm paying for it, so it's nothing out of her pocket either. Things I've I take cost off of everyone, so that it's never an issue. I know that it's and I'm sorry that it's uncomfortable.

[00:11:41]I'm not really sorry, but you know, actions have consequences. You now see and I'm going to tell you, you violate conditions again, get ready for that bond. It's going to sprout legs. It's going to be You understand.

[00:11:57]Show me after a while that we can trust you and perhaps we can talk. But you're just now getting out of jail after violating conditions over and over.

[00:12:11]Thanks. Understood. Okay. Thank you. So, you're now out of jail. You have a lawyer. It is your responsibility to stay in touch with them and they will tell you when you have to come back to court. If they tell me they can't get a hold of you because you're playing games or you're ducking and dodging, you pick up a third case, violate conditions again, there goes the bonds. Do you understand?

[00:12:32]Okay, stay in touch with them and they'll tell you when you have to come back to court. So, I'm going to wave the appearance so that she's Whatever you guys need. Thank you. And she did just complete IOP and then she is planning to enroll in SOP prior to potentially entering into any other program that court might have available, so.

[00:12:50]Yeah, I I It's up to you guys, whatever, you know, I'm I'm just here. I just want to make sure that she's not out and about and continuing to party. You know, according to her, she wants to go to school For this, she wants to go to school that, you know, if you really How old are you, ma'am?

[00:13:11]You have something that I can't buy. I I have money, right?

[00:13:17]I've got I've got ton of money here, there. Steven's got a lot of money. They But you got something that I I buy.

[00:13:26]You got something Bill Gates can't buy.

[00:13:28]You got something that Jeff Bezos can't buy.

[00:13:31]Do you know what that is?

[00:13:34]No.

[00:13:37]Age.

[00:13:40]And the reason is all those guys would pay an arm and a leg to be able to take back time to have age.

[00:13:49]But what matters is what you do with the age that you have. If you do nothing, it's a complete waste.

[00:13:57]If you're going to school and if you really care about the future then you're going about it all wrong by continuing to pick up cases, partying, going to a bar and refusing to leave the bar because I've got to wait for my drink.

[00:14:15]This life is a journey.

[00:14:17]It can be a great journey or it can be a rotten miserable journey. And as a young woman, you should never ever have to realize or depend on a man.

[00:14:28]You should be getting your education.

[00:14:30]You should be getting degrees. Should getting knowledge so that you never have to rely on a man. Men suck. Men are dogs. And you need to be able to rely on yourself because if a guy says that they're going to take care of you, great. But one day they may never be there.

[00:14:48]One day they may take flight. And if you don't have an education you don't have a career if you don't have knowledge you'll be destitute, penniless, always dependent on a man.

[00:15:00]Don't. Become a strong woman with knowledge because then that life becomes a great life.

[00:15:09]Because this life is only about one thing.

[00:15:11]This. The almighty dollar. And if you don't have this you ain't got You know what I mean? Yes, sir. So get your knowledge.

[00:15:19]Stop picking up cases.

[00:15:22]Once that age is gone, they don't come back.

[00:15:26]Thanks.

[00:15:35]Your honor, my client does have class from 5:00 to 9:00. She 6:00 to 9:00, my apologies. And I know she has a curfew right now that is imposed. Would the court be amenable towards pushing that curfew a little bit?

[00:15:48]>> Absolutely. Show me proof that you're in college or that you're in class and that the class goes at that time. I'll happily give you time to go home. Of course. Yeah.

[00:15:56]But, I'm not going to take your word for it.

[00:15:58]Show me that you're actually enrolled.

[00:16:00]You got like a either syllabus or whatnot and then I'll Of course.

[00:16:05]I'm always amenable to working around a schedule for school. Of course. Just show me and then we'll do it.

[00:16:13]Please. Thank you, honor. Of course.

[00:16:15]>> excused?