Fair vs. Consistent

When I was in Girls' State back in high school, different girls who wanted to be elected for different position ran and were asked a couple of questions. (I was elected President Pro Tem) Who of the questions that always stuck out in my mind was "Is it more important to be fair or consistent". Thank goodness I was never asked this question. I initially thought they were one in the same but has I work in the Court I see that they are not. I truly believe that it is more important to be consistent. Who's surprised by that. I am such a black/white kinda person I don't do gray. I mean either it is or it isn't not a "well kinda". With my job, I ask people do you want to plead guilty or not guilty and they respond can I tell you what happen. That just burns me up, its so non-responsive to my question. So I tell them no, really at this point I don't care what happened I just want to know if you want to plead guilty or not guilty. If you want to tell your side of the story that's what trials are for. I can't make a decision on what you did, I wasn't there. If you want a trail then you would have to plead not guilty to and we will try to get all parties involved so that the judge can decide what happened. So what do you want to do. They usually look at me crazy after I say all that but in my mind its a simple question guilty/not guilty. Either you did it or didn't and if there are some things that need to be heard/said then lets try it.
I hate to hear people say the justice system is flawed. I am not gonna say its perfect but in my mind its the people that make it flawed. When you have judges that are elected, who get large contributions from attorney's its kinda hard to no believe that these judges once elected forget those who have invested in them. Even those individuals that aren't elected are "invested" in as well.
So back to fair vs. consistent. I think its more important to be consistent. Its the exceptions that get people in trouble. If everyone that treated the same regardless of reason than no one can complain that they weren't treated fairly. I remember when I was in college I was Commissioner of Elections for Student Government, which meant I ran all the elections in the spring and fall. This election I had to disqualify a number of people for failure to turn in expense reports. Some turned them in but they weren't on the forms provided, some just didn't turn them in all together. Well before I announced the results of the elections. I made an announcement that all expenditure reports needed to be submit, as per the election code on the forms provided and those who have not need to do so prior to announcing the results, which I would be doing in XX minutes if you need a new form we have some up front. Well some people complied but there were some who didn't and so I disqualified them. I remember one of the person disqualified was a guy who later became a "friend". He failed to turn his report in because he was sick and at home sleep from all the medication (over-the-counter) he had taken. I got so much flack for not making and exception for him but in my mind that's where the problems start when you make an exception for one person. He failed to turn his report in prior to the announcing of the results, just like those who decided they were going to make there own forms and submit them as a ticket, they all were disqualified. At first blush it may seem unfair or harsh, but it was consistent and no one can say I was showing favoritism or making exceptions for one and not the other.
And to this day I loose respect for those who aren't not consistent and who make decisions based on emotion and there perception of fairness. WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHATS FAIR?

I am sure you have already guessed that I must have had another shitty day at work.