Please Help! Urgent!

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IN

I have court today, Monday, at 1:30pm.

I was arrested Friday night for illegal consumption and public intoxication. I am 20 years old, and a student at Indiana University.

I didn't think about it until now, but I plan to study abroad next semester (Spring 2009).

Will misdemeanor probation prevent me from studying abroad?

Should I get a lawyer before my court date tomorrow?

Please, if anyone can provide any insight I would be extremely grateful.

If this is your first offense, I bet the Monroe Co. Prosecutor offers you Pre-Trial Diversion. If they offer it, TAKE IT. This will give you the opportunity to keep this off your criminal record, and you might be able to get everything completed before you are due to go overseas.

If you are on formal probation, the probation officer and judge may not allow you to go to Europe.

There will be fees for Pre-Trial Diversion that have to be paid before it can start. They'll give you a deadline to pay the fees, but the earlier you pay, the earlier you can start the Pre-Trial Diversion program. Those fees will be several hundred dollars, and you will be expected to do some Community Service Work as part of the program. I think their Community Corrections has Road Crew for their adult probationers, so expect to spend some time on 37 picking up trash. They might have other options for CSW, such as Goodwill, but I'm not familiar with those programs. You might also be sent to do a Substance Abuse Evaluation, and will be expected to follow the recommendations of that program. You could do that evaluation at Centerstone or another counseling service, and they might allow you to do it through the Counseling center located at the School of Education.

BTW, run over to 7th street and see the good folks at Student Legal Services. At the very least, read their site at: Student Legal Services They'll probably tell you my advice is right on the money. I'm a probation officer in another county. (Both my BA and MS degrees were from IU!)

I would never tell someone not to get an attorney for a criminal case, but you'll probably get offered the Pre-Trial Diversion whether you have an attorney or not. You could always go to Court, and if they don't offer Pre-Trial Diversion, you can request time to get an attorney.

Just noticed that you already went to Court. Were you offered Diversion?