What is the name of your state? California
So about a month ago, I got a call from a police officer telling me they've found my drugs. Apparently, my roomate (now ex-roomate) narced me out. Now here's the deal: he found some weed on his desk that wasn't even mine. My stupid friend left it there by accident.
When I got back home and the cop asked me if they could search my room, I thought they had already found my stash. But then they came out with my actual stash, I got confused. I should've denied that it was mine and respectfully said no to search and seizure citing probable cause. But its too late for that now.
Considering how I wasn't home at the time of the incident, can I fight this charge without a lawyer? Should I? I'm a student at UC Irvine (which is notorious for police harrassment) and I'm just tired of dealing with the cops here. What are the consequences of just paying the $100 ticket? Will it go on my permanent record?
I know that for first-time offenders, we can do a divergence program to get the charges wiped, but I'm not sure how to request that. Will it still show on my federal record if I do? Because I'm most concerned about my federal student loans, which is like oxygen for me.
A lawyer would cost me about $600 to just plead guilty and get divergence, and I can't really afford that, much less a lawyer for going to trial. I don't really want to go to court, so should I just pay the $100 fine?
Thanks for any input.
So about a month ago, I got a call from a police officer telling me they've found my drugs. Apparently, my roomate (now ex-roomate) narced me out. Now here's the deal: he found some weed on his desk that wasn't even mine. My stupid friend left it there by accident.
When I got back home and the cop asked me if they could search my room, I thought they had already found my stash. But then they came out with my actual stash, I got confused. I should've denied that it was mine and respectfully said no to search and seizure citing probable cause. But its too late for that now.
Considering how I wasn't home at the time of the incident, can I fight this charge without a lawyer? Should I? I'm a student at UC Irvine (which is notorious for police harrassment) and I'm just tired of dealing with the cops here. What are the consequences of just paying the $100 ticket? Will it go on my permanent record?
I know that for first-time offenders, we can do a divergence program to get the charges wiped, but I'm not sure how to request that. Will it still show on my federal record if I do? Because I'm most concerned about my federal student loans, which is like oxygen for me.
A lawyer would cost me about $600 to just plead guilty and get divergence, and I can't really afford that, much less a lawyer for going to trial. I don't really want to go to court, so should I just pay the $100 fine?
Thanks for any input.