Driver fined $200 argues her case all the way to a Texas appeals court – and loses

A Texas driver fined $200 argued her case all the way to a Texas appeals court — and she’s still on the losing side.

Amy Hedtke was on a three-hour road trip with her son to a Boy Scout meeting when she was stopped for speeding in the small city of Rhome north of Fort Worth, according to court records. Hedrke pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant — where she already planned to stop to buy a drink and use the restroom.

After the police officer took Hedtke’s license and returned to the patrol car, her son exited their van and headed toward the restaurant. The police officer ordered him to stop and return to the van, then started questioned the 17-year-old and patted him down.

Hedtke objected and began filming the officer with her cellphone. She refused to return to the van multiple times until the police officer arrested her for failing to comply, according to court records.

Hedtke argued the “officers in this case engaged in an unlawfully prolonged detention by asking non-consensual unrelated questions” of her child, according to court records.

After a municipal court jury found her guilty and a judge fined her $200, Hedtke appealed the case to a county court and lost. Then she took the case to a Texas appellate court in Fort Worth.

On Thursday, the appellate court issued a 19-page opinion ruling against Hedtke.