1st possession charge

What is the name of your state? michigan

I was pulled over for speeding. (14 mph over ) The officer found a small bag of pot. I was ticketed for 59 in a 45 and Violation of Controlled Substance Act. This is my first possession charge. I am 24 yrs old with a clean record. I go to court in week. What should i expect to happen at court? , should I plead not guilty or guilty?

Seniorjudge has some good court advice that I'm sure he'll be posting soon, but on top of that: since you have a clean record, the judge will probably offer you the chance to request a pretrial conference, which would give you a chance at a diversion, meaning getting off with a lighter sentence, getting charged with a lesser crime. From what I've gathered, that'll probably entail a slap on the wrist + probation.

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.

Bathe and wash your hair.

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.


Here are five 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 is pregnant/sick/dying/dead/crippled and needs my help.

3. I’ve got a job in [name a state five hundred miles away].

4. This is the first time I ever did this.

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.”)

https://forum.freeadvice.com/showthr...4687#post854687

Other people may give you other advice; stand by.

jayman380 said:

What is the name of your state? michigan

I was pulled over for speeding. (14 mph over ) The officer found a small bag of pot. I was ticketed for 59 in a 45 and Violation of Controlled Substance Act. This is my first possession charge. I am 24 yrs old with a clean record. I go to court in week. What should i expect to happen at court? , should I plead not guilty or guilty?

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ask for STATUE (MCL 333.7411)

For first-time offenders, Michigan enforces statute MCL 333.7411, provided that the amount of marijuana found is small (no set amount). The statute promotes sending small-offense users to drug education programs. Schmid said his own experience is that very few people actually walk away with a conviction, let alone jail time. In order to avoid unpopular and difficult jail sentences, judges often decide to take advantage of the statute and refer people to drug abuse programs. “You have to understand, judges also went to college. It’s difficult for them to go down this slippery slope of hypocrisy.”

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http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/031008/031008cover.html