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1st offense: 2 GRAMS in VERMONT

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sweetbella82507

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Vermont

Hello. Thank you for all who stop and listen! On Friday night the police showed up to mine and my boyfriend's apartment due to a complaint from a neighbor in regards to hearing me yelling that I was attacked/raped (while coming home from a party). The police questioned me about the assault and then one noticed a small jar of marijuana (about 2GRAMS) in the book shelve. I immediately said it was mine, as did my boyfriend. They took the marijuana, asked if there was anymore, including devices...we both said no, as it was the truth. Then they asked if I remember anything about the attack to let them know, and to not worry about anything, anymore. They left with the marijuana. Three days later, Tuesday morning around 6am, one police officer came over and issued us both a citation to appear in court. This is my first offense. Now here are my questions:

1) This is my first offense for anything, including driving tickets. I am currently unemployed, but recently graduated from college with a high 3.0 and had two upstanding positions (occupations) in the community. What will happen to me?

3) I did some research on-line and there's a pretrial kind of agreement where the day of the court appearance you can work out some sort of settlement. Now, is this necessary for me, considering it is my first offense?

4) Will this ruin my chances of receiving student loans and grants for graduate school? Will this stay on my record and hurt my chances of obtaining a good occupation?

5) My boyfriend has two priors from over 8 years ago. He said that they, the courts told him the offenses would be off the record. Does this mean that, perhaps because it is a related charge that the two prior might effect his chances? Or will he just be charged for the one, especially since the other two happened in Connecticut over 8 years ago?

6) My last question is whether or not I should obtain a lawyer or a public defendant or just try this on my own? I do have an AA in Criminal Justice and am a little familiar with the law.

I realize that I am asking a lot. But I am very frightened and confused. I'm a good girl with a big heart who loves research and desires to become a resource librarian at the University level. I am afraid that my dreams has been "squashed" because of my stupidity. I do realize Vermont is a liberal state, but I still feel it's all just talk. Please any advice would be extremely helpful.
 


seniorjudge

Senior Member
1) This is my first offense for anything, including driving tickets. I am currently unemployed, but recently graduated from college with a high 3.0 and had two upstanding positions (occupations) in the community. What will happen to me?

A: All of that is irrelevant and no one can see into the future.



3) I did some research on-line and there's a pretrial kind of agreement where the day of the court appearance you can work out some sort of settlement. Now, is this necessary for me, considering it is my first offense?

A: Is what necessary for you?



4) Will this ruin my chances of receiving student loans and grants for graduate school? Will this stay on my record and hurt my chances of obtaining a good occupation?

A: Possibly; people with drug convictions have hard times getting student loans (for obvious reasons).


5) My boyfriend has two priors from over 8 years ago. He said that they, the courts told him the offenses would be off the record. Does this mean that, perhaps because it is a related charge that the two prior might effect his chances? Or will he just be charged for the one, especially since the other two happened in Connecticut over 8 years ago?

A: Give us the statute numbers for the priors.


6) My last question is whether or not I should obtain a lawyer or a public defendant or just try this on my own? I do have an AA in Criminal Justice and am a little familiar with the law.

A: Get a lawyer (public defenders are lawyers).
 

seniorjudge

Senior Member
Standard answer

Here are some hints on appearing in court:

Dress professionally in clean clothes.

Do not wear message shirts or caps.

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 seven 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.

7. I/my kid/my whatever has surgery scheduled.


https://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.
 

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