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Paraphernalia Charge

Discussion in 'Seasoned Marijuana Users' started by GanjaIsKing, Mar 15, 2016.

  1. #1 GanjaIsKing, Mar 15, 2016
    Earlier today I was driving around town about to head to my cousins house to go to downtown Detroit to hit up the casino. I drive past a cop that has a car pulled over in the right lane and think nothing of it. As I'm pulling into the gas station 2 blocks later the cop that was on the side of the road is behind me and flicks his lights on. I'm like wtf why am I getting pulled over. Turns out he wants to get me for failure to yield for an emergency vehicle. He asks for my license and registration, so i reach over into my glovebox to grab the registration and he sees a pill bottle from the dispensary in there and asks what it is. I pretty much know I'm fucked regardless at this point so I own up and tell him its for medical marijuana ( I don't have my card, in the process of getting it.) He asks if I have anything else in the car and I can't really lie because he already has cause to search my vehicle so I tell him that I have my bong with me. He goes and finds my bong right where I told him it was and comes back and basically he issues me a citation (rather than arresting me) for failure to yield as well as possession of paraphernalia.

    Basically my question is what am I looking at for this charge? Will it be just a fine? Should I get an attorney or just plead guilty? Most importantly will I have to go on probation? What will I expect when I show up for court, this is my first time getting in any trouble with the law so I just need some help as to what I should expect and to calm my anxiety about the situation. If the cop never shows up I'm assuming I could get it thrown out but idk. Anyone with any experience in a situation like this just give me some info or advice
     
  2. #2 wafdof, Mar 15, 2016
    Use the google. I did and found some disturbing news about your situation.

    While considered a misdemeanor offense, those convicted are subject to punishment pursuant to MCL 333.7451 and MCL 333.7455(1) which includes incarceration up to 90 days, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

    Read more: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia - Michigan Drug Possession Attorney

    Just reading what I quickly found using the google makes me think you should get a good lawyer. I can tell you this, you do not want a drug misdemeanor if you can help it on your files as they will haunt you the rest of your life.
     
  3. #3 Sade, Mar 15, 2016
    It's fucked up but I got the same thing in MD. got a $100 fine for the weed but the paraphernalia was the main thing. Judge was putting people on 6 month supervised probation . I told him straight up I am moving to California and can't do probation for my job. So gives me a year of unsupervised probation.

    Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk
     
  4. #4 IRON-EYES, Mar 15, 2016
    fucking shithead pigs!!!
     
  5. #5 walterbishop, Mar 15, 2016
    I certainly understand your anxiety. Been there done that my friend, and it's not a great feeling to have hanging over your head.

    If I were you, I'd lawyer up. I realize there will be people here that will tell you you can fight this yourself and save the money. And you may be able to. Much of it depends on the prosecutor and judge. It's hard to say before you go in what their disposition may be like. Sometimes they are cool. Sometimes one is cool, the other is not. Sometimes both are pricks and looking to sell you down the river.

    Sending in a lawyer to talk to the prosecutor/judge will usually yield better results in my experience. After all it's what they do.

    If you're a first time offender I'd bet your state has some sort of pre-trial intervention or conditional discharge type program. Usually it involves fines and 6 months to a year probation. But at the end, they will drop the charges. That said the record of the arrest will remain, and for that you usually have to look into an expungement.

    The other recommendation I would make is to be ready to pay any fines that very day. Sometimes the fact that you can pay on the spot will help your situation and shorten the length of probation if that's the direction the judge goes.
     
  6. #6 GanjaIsKing, Mar 16, 2016
    Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to talk to a lawyer later today, hopefully they will be able to give me a better idea of what I can expect. From all the research that I've done so far it looks like I should be able to get some sort of pre-trial changes like walterbishop said. I'm hoping if I can tell or prove to the Judge that I'm clean since the incident that I can get off with just a fine and unsupervised probation but if it has to be supervised then I guess I can deal with that. I'll update this thread when everything is said and done just in case someone has a similar situation.
     

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