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mrlinus41
Stranger
Registered: 05/05/06
Posts: 14
Last seen: 17 years, 3 months
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In desperate need of legal advice.
#5883987 - 07/21/06 09:58 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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I just got arrested for possession of marijuana (i had less then a gram) and possession of drug paraphenelia (rolling papers) in the state of connecticut. A lawyer is very expensive and I don't really have the money to pay for one. I'm 18 and am about to go to college, and I'm afraid of getting dicked over because I won't have a lawyer in court. I've heard of a pretrial drug education and community service program that takes this off your record, but I don't know how to apply and what my chances of being accepted are. If anyone has any similar experiences they can share, or any advice, I'd greatly appreciate it. I realize that this is not real legal advice and won't take it as such, but it would still be helpful. I just don't know what to expect in court, and according to CT general statutes I could be facing up to 1 year in prison and a 1000 dollar fine for a first offense (second offense is a felony, which is ridiculous). http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/pub/Chap420b.htm#Sec21a-279.htm (thats the url for the law). Thanks ahead of time for any help.
-------------------- www.18todrink.com change a stupid law
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Vvellum
Stranger

Registered: 05/24/04
Posts: 10,920
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Re: In desperate need of legal advice. [Re: mrlinus41]
#5884029 - 07/21/06 10:27 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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If I were you, I would contact an attorney and see if they have a payment plan. I'm sure there might be a plan that would be reasonable and affordable.
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Prisoner#1
Even Dumber ThanAdvertized!


Registered: 01/22/03
Posts: 193,665
Loc: Pvt. Pubfag NutSuck
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Re: In desperate need of legal advice. [Re: mrlinus41]
#5884037 - 07/21/06 10:30 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
mrlinus41 said: I've heard of a pretrial drug education and community service program that takes this off your record, but I don't know how to apply and what my chances of being accepted are.
contact the office of the procecutor, pretty shitty that under a gram is so stiff a penalty
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Annapurna1
liberal pussy

Registered: 05/21/02
Posts: 5,646
Loc: innsmouth..MA
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Re: In desperate need of legal advice. [Re: mrlinus41]
#5884071 - 07/21/06 10:46 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
GO DIRECTLY TO JAIL DO NOT COLLECT $200... [zappa]...
you can either follow zappas' instructions above...or better yet..consult with your court-appointed attorney...but you will definitely lose all of your student aid..even if you do manage to avoid prison time...
--------------------
"anchor blocks counteract the process of pontiprobation..while omalean globes regulize the pressure"...
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HarvestTheBrain
CultDeVader

Registered: 07/14/03
Posts: 1,749
Loc: Usa
Last seen: 4 months, 10 days
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Re: In desperate need of legal advice. [Re: mrlinus41]
#5884083 - 07/21/06 10:52 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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that sucks dude  less than a gram and its that harsh...fuck decriminilized ny rocks my world
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Vvellum
Stranger

Registered: 05/24/04
Posts: 10,920
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Re: In desperate need of legal advice. [Re: mrlinus41]
#5884084 - 07/21/06 10:52 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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definitely get an attorney. he/she can have the charges dropped to something easy that wont fuck up your future and have the punishment reduced to, say, community service or drug awareness classes. you'll have to pay, but surely you can manage a payment plan.
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buddhathehut
readingrainbows.......

Registered: 08/19/03
Posts: 297
Loc: North Carolina
Last seen: 16 years, 4 months
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Re: In desperate need of legal advice. [Re: Vvellum]
#5884096 - 07/21/06 10:57 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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PTI is expensive here, and is desperately time consuming. An attorney will actually cost less if it's anything like it is here. You will pay court costs by default, and in the absence of fines will have been introduced to the finer points of having a lawyer. (Plus after you have used him and paid up, if you ever get into any more trouble, you will find him more than accomidating).
-------------------- "If you do not want to go within, do you want to go out? But where will you go, since He ie everywhere in this universe, and surrounding this universe?" - Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
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shroomydan
exshroomerite


Registered: 07/04/04
Posts: 4,126
Loc: In the woods
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Re: In desperate need of legal advice. [Re: mrlinus41]
#5884122 - 07/21/06 11:07 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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The biggest problem you are facing is the loss of financial aid due to a drug related conviction. Most states have "drug court" programs that will keep the conviction off your record.
Try going to an NA meeting and talking to the folks there. Most of them have been through the drug courts and could help point you in the right direction. Whatever you do, your highest priority should be avoiding the record if you plan to use financial aid to pay for college.
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Vvellum
Stranger

Registered: 05/24/04
Posts: 10,920
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Re: In desperate need of legal advice. [Re: buddhathehut]
#5884155 - 07/21/06 11:22 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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PTI?
yeah, hiring an attorney will usually cost less than the crazy court fines you'd receive without an attorney working his magic.
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capliberty
Stranger


Registered: 04/23/06
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Last seen: 14 years, 5 months
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Re: In desperate need of legal advice. [Re: shroomydan]
#5884175 - 07/21/06 11:33 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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I don't know how good a lawyer is going to be at this point, when its not certain that he can even get the charge totally dropped and they have clear evidence of him possessing it, did u take a drug test?
you might but it'll take at least 1750 to 3000 to get good enough lawyer to beat the charge
basically the 1000 fine a possible year is standard, usually gets reduced to 1000 or so and drug counseling
make sure apply for the public defender, also be sure to view your charges by the public defender, to determine if you go the lawyer route
they'll reduce your charge down to something like being intoxicated and they usually drop the paraphernalia charge, besides rolling papers isn't really true evidence of paraphernalia, theres no residue on the papers to link it to the marijuana,
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Adden

Registered: 06/04/03
Posts: 39,201
Loc:
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Re: In desperate need of legal advice. [Re: mrlinus41]
#5884207 - 07/21/06 11:46 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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CT? Accelerated Rehabilitation - probation/community service/piss test (stay clean) and it is erased from your record. Completely.
You only get one of these, though. Then again, they're for misdemeanors only.
Don't spend money on an attorney for this. You're looking at $1500 up front most likely.
Discuss with your public defender so it doesn't fuck up your education.
Good luck.
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