Florida...
Here's the story exactly as it happened. Only the dates have been changed.
On Nov 1st, I was pulled over for speeding. Just when I thought the whole process of getting a ticket was over, and preparing to drive away, the trooper made it clear that he could smell marijuana in the car. He said he knows it is in the car and if I produce it, he promises I won't go to jail. I've never been in trouble before except for two speeding tickets over five years ago.
I handed him a quarter ounce split into two bags. He made me step out and walk 20 feet away while he searched some more. Then he called for city police backup and put me in cuffs while he did a more thorough search. He didn't find anything else and the two city cops left. He got some info from me and told me to wait in the car while he prepared the report.
He gave me a Notice to Appear on one count of misdemeanor possession of marijuana under 20 grams. The date to appear is Dec 10th at 8am. However he gave me the court's phone number and said to call a week prior to confirm the date didn't change. I asked him if I should get a lawyer and he said he can't answer that for me.
I found a lawyer 2-3 weeks after the incident and they couldn't find the charge in the system. We were playing phone tag for a while, but now because of other financial issues, I'm not going to be able to afford one.
I went the court's website to find information on public defenders and that's when I realized you could search criminal records.
The trooper gave me one paper which was the ticket and another for the NTA. The NTA has my social# on it. When I search the court for my name, everyone with my name comes up, of course. But for me, only the speeding ticket shows. When I search by birthday, only the ticket shows. When I search by social#, nothing comes up. I've used the option to search misdemeanors, felonies, etc... all combined... I even spelled my name wrong. All I can find is my speeding ticket. Then I thought back to how the lawyer couldn't find anything on me either.
I've search other possession charges and see that the paperwork doesn't get filed immediately after the incident. I've seen some get filed a day later, 10 days later, even one that was 30 days later. My speeding was filed 10 days after the incident.
Do you think it's possible that the trooper didn't turn in the NTA. I can't figure why if he turned them in after his shift was over, why only the ticket would get entered and not the NTA. And do they even turn in "paperwork" anymore. I don't know anything about law enforcement but it was clear he used a computer to type the report and had a printer in his car. So it could have been emailed to a clerk??
I've seen cases where people got busted way after I did and they have already gone to court. Is it possible that I slipped through the cracks?
Thanks in advance for any thoughts...
Here's the story exactly as it happened. Only the dates have been changed.
On Nov 1st, I was pulled over for speeding. Just when I thought the whole process of getting a ticket was over, and preparing to drive away, the trooper made it clear that he could smell marijuana in the car. He said he knows it is in the car and if I produce it, he promises I won't go to jail. I've never been in trouble before except for two speeding tickets over five years ago.
I handed him a quarter ounce split into two bags. He made me step out and walk 20 feet away while he searched some more. Then he called for city police backup and put me in cuffs while he did a more thorough search. He didn't find anything else and the two city cops left. He got some info from me and told me to wait in the car while he prepared the report.
He gave me a Notice to Appear on one count of misdemeanor possession of marijuana under 20 grams. The date to appear is Dec 10th at 8am. However he gave me the court's phone number and said to call a week prior to confirm the date didn't change. I asked him if I should get a lawyer and he said he can't answer that for me.
I found a lawyer 2-3 weeks after the incident and they couldn't find the charge in the system. We were playing phone tag for a while, but now because of other financial issues, I'm not going to be able to afford one.
I went the court's website to find information on public defenders and that's when I realized you could search criminal records.
The trooper gave me one paper which was the ticket and another for the NTA. The NTA has my social# on it. When I search the court for my name, everyone with my name comes up, of course. But for me, only the speeding ticket shows. When I search by birthday, only the ticket shows. When I search by social#, nothing comes up. I've used the option to search misdemeanors, felonies, etc... all combined... I even spelled my name wrong. All I can find is my speeding ticket. Then I thought back to how the lawyer couldn't find anything on me either.
I've search other possession charges and see that the paperwork doesn't get filed immediately after the incident. I've seen some get filed a day later, 10 days later, even one that was 30 days later. My speeding was filed 10 days after the incident.
Do you think it's possible that the trooper didn't turn in the NTA. I can't figure why if he turned them in after his shift was over, why only the ticket would get entered and not the NTA. And do they even turn in "paperwork" anymore. I don't know anything about law enforcement but it was clear he used a computer to type the report and had a printer in his car. So it could have been emailed to a clerk??
I've seen cases where people got busted way after I did and they have already gone to court. Is it possible that I slipped through the cracks?
Thanks in advance for any thoughts...