I thought judges are supposed to be wise?

[SLP]

I agree, locking up someone like her is outrageous, but as it said in the article, "E. Tay Bond, a well-known Houston defense attorney, said the judge likely had no discretion to avert a jail sentence." Things like this are to be expected when you pass laws with mandatory sentences, and tie judges' hands.

Yeah that could be the case but I almost have my doubts. If the Judges hands were truly tied one would think he would say so. I have heard many judges say publicly when they had no choice because of mandatory sentencing. Instead this is what the judge chose to say about the matter.

"If you let one run loose, what are you going to do with the rest of them? Let them go, too?" Moriarty told the station.

Also from the same article it is clear that a city councilman seems to believe the judge could have chosen differently.

Houston Councilman Al Hoang said what he worries about most is Tran's record.
"I’m going to ask the judge to expunge the record," Hoang told FoxNews.com. "The truancy laws should be applied case by case and in this case, it should not be applied. I believe Judge Moriarty should have used his discretionary power to excuse her from this matter."