- Jurisdiction
- California
Background: Several weeks ago I went to downtown LA for a clubbing event. After we paid for the parking and were looking for a spot, there were several police doing random searches of cars for alcohol and our car had a bottle of Amsterdam in it. It was in the back passenger seat behind the driver. Me and two other of my friends got a citation (41.27(d) CA) for an opened container.
We were asked to step out the car, or more accurately scared into stepping out the car where they found the bottle of alcohol on the ground. I'm not sure they had probable cause for searching the car, although there was evidence that we were going to drink, we had cups of ice and a bottle of cranberry juice in the front seat. We stepped out and were told to put our hands on the trunk and they took out the bottle and inspected it and said it was unopened and proceeded to gives three of us citations, One person was over 21 and did not get a ticket since the bottle was unopened.
Recently we found out that the infraction would be $100. One of my friends wants to fight the citation and was wondering if it is worth fighting? I'm leaning towards just paying the fine instead of going through the trouble of fighting the ticket, also cause we are minors(19). What would be the consequences if we fought and lost, and the consequences if we just paid the ticket. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, Thank you!
We were asked to step out the car, or more accurately scared into stepping out the car where they found the bottle of alcohol on the ground. I'm not sure they had probable cause for searching the car, although there was evidence that we were going to drink, we had cups of ice and a bottle of cranberry juice in the front seat. We stepped out and were told to put our hands on the trunk and they took out the bottle and inspected it and said it was unopened and proceeded to gives three of us citations, One person was over 21 and did not get a ticket since the bottle was unopened.
Recently we found out that the infraction would be $100. One of my friends wants to fight the citation and was wondering if it is worth fighting? I'm leaning towards just paying the fine instead of going through the trouble of fighting the ticket, also cause we are minors(19). What would be the consequences if we fought and lost, and the consequences if we just paid the ticket. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, Thank you!