Im 17, possession of marijuana and tobacco

[showbe]

I was at a park and sitting in a car with my friends then a cop pulls up and flashes its lights on us. I had about 2 grams of weed in my pocket along with a scale and 8 more in my friends trunk. he searches all of us and finds my stuff and searches the car and finds my weed.

My parents come and pick me up and signed a paper saying I have court on the 16th. I asked what the charges were and the cop said it was possession of tobacco and marijuana.

Well here is what my court date papers say

He checked the following under these categories

Under San Diego Municipal Code:
58.04 Minor in possession of tobacco

Other:
11357 (b) H+S Poss of Marijuana

What will my charges be? Im 17 and I turn 18 in July.

There was a thing to check under "Health and Safety Code" saying 11357 (b) Poss Marijuana(less 1 oz)

I dont get why he checked the "other" box instead of the health and safety code one. What does H+S stand for? Will I get in more trouble for this?

 

[seniorjudge]

These are all good questions and ones you need to ask the judge in court.




Standard answer

Here are some hints on appearing in court:

Dress professionally in clean clothes.

Do not wear message shirts.

Don't chew gum, smoke, or eat. (Smokers...pot or tobacco...literally stink. Remember that before you head for court.)

Bathe and wash your hair.

Do not bring small children or your friends.

Go to court beforehand some day before you actually have to go to watch how things go.

Speak politely and deferentially. If you argue or dispute something, do it professionally and without emotion.

Ask the court clerk who you talk to about a diversion (meaning you want to plead to a different, lesser charge), if applicable in your situation. Ask about traffic school and that the ticket not go on your record, if applicable. Ask also about getting a hardship driving permit, if applicable. Ask about drug court, if applicable.

From marbol:

"Judge...

You forgot the one thing that I've seen that seems to frizz up most judges these days:

If you have a cell phone, make DAMN SURE that it doesn't make ANY noise in the courtroom. This means when you are talking to the judge AND when you are simply sitting in the court room.

If you have a 'vibrate' position on your cell phone, MAKE sure the judge DOESN'T EVEN HEAR IT VIBRATE!

Turn it off or put it in silent mode where it flashes a LED if it rings. AND DON'T even DREAM about answering it if it rings."

(Better yet, don't carry your cell phone into the courtroom.)"


Here are six stories that criminal court judges hear the most (and I suggest you do not use them or variations of them):

1. I've been saved! (This is not religion specific; folks from all kinds of religious backgrounds use this one.)

2. My girlfriend/mother/sister/daughter/wife/ex-wife/niece/grandma/grand-daughter is pregnant/sick/dying/dead/crippled/crazy and needs my help.

3. I've got a job/military posting in [name a place five hundred miles away].

4. This is the first time I ever did this. (This conflicts with number 5 below, but that hasn't stopped some defendants from using both.)

5. You've got the wrong guy. (A variation of this one is the phantom defendant story: "It wasn't me driving, it was a hitchhiker I picked up. He wrecked the car, drug me behind the wheel then took off." Or, another variation: "I was forced into it by a bad guy!")

6. I was influenced by a bad crowd.

http://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?p=854687#post854687

Public defender's advice

http://newyork.craigslist.org/about/best/sfo/70300494.html


Other people may give you other advice; stand by.

 

[showbe]

how likely am i to get probation for possession of marijuana and tobacco? Or will I just get drug classes?

 

[CdwJava]

how likely am i to get probation for possession of marijuana and tobacco? Or will I just get drug classes?

You're looking at about $150 in fines ($100 for the marijuana and $50 or so for the muni code violation - they might have raised them since I left, though), community service for the tobacco, and tobacco and drug education counseling.

You're lucky ... they could have tried to get you for sales with the scale. It might not have worked, but they could have tried.

- Carl