Okay so I posted this in the main forum but it seems like this is a better place for it. I was charged with possession because I had a bowl with some resin in it. It's my first offense so nothing serious is likely to happen. I was concerned about grad school apps but they seem to only ask if you have been convicted. Anyway, it looks like the usual punishment for first time is 6 month probation with no driving, drugs, or alcohol. Has anyone ever been charged with possession and got off without this. I don't really care about the drugs but the driving and drinking is a pretty harsh punishment. Thanks

Generally, what happens is your license is suspended, and you are given a future court date that you do not need to appear at if nothing else has happened.

They usually don't sentence you to testing, or any sort of treatment programs. They basically just expect you to not fuck up for the next 6 months, and then you are done with it.

At least when I went through the same thing, for a bowl found in my car, I went to court, the judge said "if you don't get into trouble in the next six months, we'll never see each other again. Cross the line even once, and you and I will have a lot of problems."

DUI convictions get you into that whole VASAP or other drug/alcohol treatment programs. First time minor drug possession charges generally do not even get you a conviction. The judge just continues the case, suspends your license and then dismisses the charges after 6 months if you haven't been arrested again in the meantime.

Seriously, don't worry. If you can afford a lawyer, it might help, but anyone on their first offense is basically going to do better than a guy who got a reckless driving as his first offense.

Thurston, you've been a lot of help to me these past couple days and I thank you. Since you have gone through this I have a couple questions:

Did your suspended license result in much higher insurance fees?
Does dismissal of charges mean there is no record or is expungement in order?
An arrest record remains, right? (That doesn't really matter to me as long as the charges go away)
Has an employer ever questioned you about the arrest record?
When did you go through all of this?

And once again, thank you

I have never been asked by any potential employer about it.

My insurance never went up because of it. My license was suspended by a judge, and not for a traffic, pointable offense. I didn't get points, so no insurance company ever knew about it.

I went through all of this in 95 or 96. Not sure of the exact date.

Don't worry about it. Unless you are running for senator, or are in line to become a supreme court justice, this is a minor speed bump in your life. Don't sweat it.

Hell, Teddy Kennedy has his Chappaquiddick, George Bush Junior has his Cocaine and Alcohol reputation, Clinton has his blowjob. None of them seem any worse for the wear.

Just make sure you appear in court wearing a suit and tie, be respectful, and deferential, and then move on with your life.

This won't be the worst episode in your life. Trust me. Take it for what it is, move on, and be prepared for worse things (you could get a girl pregnant, don't forget.)

Thanks Thurston, really

From what I've read, the judge has discretion on everything except for the suspended license, a punishment which really makes no sense as I was not high when I was caught. Concerning drug testing/counseling, I'm going to be 300 miles out of Virginia for the entirety of the 6 months of probation (college) so I wonder how that would go down. What I'm really hoping for is that my lawyer can get me down to an offense which can be dismissed but that doesn't carry the license suspension. I live in a place that requires you to drive everywhere and having to defer to my relatives who would presumably be out of the house most of the day would just suck

'



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/29/2012 04:28PM by Alias.

I'm thinking honorary "Tapout" T-shirts are in order for the Alias/Thurston scraps.

On second thought, that's kinda douchey.

Um, wouldn't the bowl be kinda wet, and hence, inadmissable?

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.

When I went to court for the same thing in 2000; I dressed up real nice and didnt know what to expect. Me and 7 other kids of simular age (some were even warring jincos and baggy t-shirts) were all called up at the same time, and we all received the same punishment; 6 months probation, restricted license & asap classes. I was tested twice, had a PO and they occasionally breath tested us in the asap class.
I was never arrested or convicted of anything. However, damn near ten years later, I was being hired for a new position and it came up. Caused a mess, and I didnt think I would get the job. I explained the sitch and all is well now. From what I understand, after ten years the court will remove the record from the system. I thought all that BS was LONG behind me, but it came back up. It sucks, but keep your nose clean from now on and you shouldn't have much trouble finding a good job in the future.

'



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/29/2012 04:23PM by Alias.

Lawyer said its 50/50 that I get an outright dismissal. Either that happens or I get that 250.1 stuff for first time offenders

What I'm hoping for is for the state to have trouble getting the scientist who examines the evidence to make sure its actually marijuana on the stand. If they don't do that in a timely fashion the case has to be dismissed

The direction your headed is prison and or likely an early death good luck with that dude I hope it was worth it.

Yeah, my Ivy League education is worthless with this irreversible blemish

LeE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What I'm hoping for is for the state to have
> trouble getting the scientist who examines the
> evidence to make sure its actually marijuana on
> the stand. If they don't do that in a timely
> fashion the case has to be dismissed


Melendez-Diaz vs State of Mass. US Supreme Court decision (Scalia opinion) = no more sworn lab affidavits...lab techs have to appear to testify since you have the right to face your accusers.

tacolipS666 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The direction your headed is prison and or likely
> an early death good luck with that dude I hope it
> was worth it.


Are you one of those people who thinks "drugs are bad" and cannot differentiate between marijuana and hard drugs?

Someone doing meth, or heroin is headed towards "prison or likely an early death", most reponsible people who smoke weed are headed towards a good education, a good job and a happy home and family life. Weed is like alcohol, except that people who smoke weed can study better and apply themselves to school and achieve better grades, and usually end up with pretty good jobs in technology, science or higher education.

The stereotype of the teenager in his mom's basement playing video games and smoking weed all day only applies to the teenage smokers. They shouldn't be smoking, at least not until their minds develop fully when they are in their early 20's. Most of the smokers are mature, responsible, but you don't know about them. They don't walk around saying "duuuude I'm so high man!", they probably don't wreak of pot, and they do their jobs. You might have a few working with you in your cube farm and you'd never know it. Odds are pretty good that at least one person in your office smokes weed regularly, and several have smoked it within the last year. Even in places where they test, there are people who smoke weed, like in the military, the police, the government, etc.

People who can function in the world while smoking weed are more common than the people who cannot. With other drugs, including alcohol, more people cannot function than can.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2009 11:03PM by Thurston Moore.

Thurston Moore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tacolipS666 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The direction your headed is prison and or
> likely
> > an early death good luck with that dude I hope
> it
> > was worth it.
>
>
> Are you one of those people who thinks "drugs are
> bad" and cannot differentiate between marijuana
> and hard drugs?
>
> Someone doing meth, or heroin is headed towards
> "prison or likely an early death", most reponsible
> people who smoke weed are headed towards a good
> education, a good job and a happy home and family
> life. Weed is like alcohol, except that people
> who smoke weed can study better and apply
> themselves to school and achieve better grades,
> and usually end up with pretty good jobs in
> technology, science or higher education.
>
> The stereotype of the teenager in his mom's
> basement playing video games and smoking weed all
> day only applies to the teenage smokers. They
> shouldn't be smoking, at least not until their
> minds develop fully when they are in their early
> 20's. Most of the smokers are mature,
> responsible, but you don't know about them. They
> don't walk around saying "duuuude I'm so high
> man!", they probably don't wreak of pot, and they
> do their jobs. You might have a few working with
> you in your cube farm and you'd never know it.
> Odds are pretty good that at least one person in
> your office smokes weed regularly, and several
> have smoked it within the last year. Even in
> places where they test, there are people who smoke
> weed, like in the military, the police, the
> government, etc.
>
> People who can function in the world while smoking
> weed are more common than the people who cannot.
> With other drugs, including alcohol, more people
> cannot function than can.


r u NORML, thurston? u seem 2 be quite the advocate for marijuana, considering you don't smoke anymore ( yeah right)!

wanna give an argument? or just throw out bull shit at everyone? Tell us why its evil, why its more or less harmful than legal drugs etc.

Kenny_Powers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wanna give an argument? or just throw out bull
> shit at everyone? Tell us why its evil, why its
> more or less harmful than legal drugs etc.


Well said...typical pro stoner factless/baseless argument by Thurston.


'I know plenty of judges and cops who smoke pot!' LMAO

I got busted for that shit at school. Of course, I was dealing, so it waws worse. 2 months in YDC and a shower rape. It's all good now though.