Before she leaves Michigan for the summer, she should speak to an attorney in her college town. Her college may even offer legal assistance to students.Thanks. My 18 yr old daughter got an Mip in Michigan and goes to college there. She lives in Ohio and moving home soon for the summer. The ticket says court date may 24th and charged with mip and open container even tho it had a lid on it?! Does she have to appear or can we call and get the fine amounts and pay? And she was not intoxicated but the jar was on the floor by her feet. She was the passenger and denied ownership of the jar. No breathalyzer for anyone even tho 2 passengers in back were drunk. The driver and my daughter were not but my daughter was charged! Wat to do?
...open container even tho it had a lid on it?!
A lot of people are confused by the wording of laws and how offenses are charged. The word "possession" in "minor in possession" is another that causes confusion.I hope you're kidding.
I kind of agree with Highway man on his disbelief...it is very basic common sense that once the liquor bottle is open, it's an "open container". Just about every kid who's around alcohol knows that. Additionally, anyone with a driver's license learns that.A lot of people are confused by the wording of laws and how offenses are charged. The word "possession" in "minor in possession" is another that causes confusion.
For the benefit of kttrumbo, an open container means it is not sealed shut. Even a liquor bottle with the cap screwed on is an open container under the law if the seal on the bottle has been broken.
Possession does not only apply to someone holding a cup or can or bottle but being in an area where the cup or can or bottle can be accessed easily.
Many who come to this forum are experiencing legal problems for the first time so understandably do not know what things mean or how things work.
Maybe. My mom* is sort of dumb about things like that, though.I kind of agree with Highway man on his disbelief...it is very basic common sense that once the liquor bottle is open, it's an "open container". Just about every kid who's around alcohol knows that. Additionally, anyone with a driver's license learns that.
I try to avoid using the term "common sense" because laws do not always make sense. But I can understand how you and HighwayMan are looking at this.For the record, I rarely use the phrase "common sense" because everybody has different life experiences. In this case, though, it really does seem like a straight-forward common sense situation.
^^like^^I try to avoid using the term "common sense" because laws do not always make sense.
My comment about open container with the lid on was precisely what I meant. A sealed lid.
First, I called my mother dumb, not you - and my comment was limited to dumb when it comes to understanding legal terms. I already apologized to my mom and, if you took offense to my comment, I apologize to you, too.First of all I didn't come on this thread to be made fun of and called dumb. You people all have legal experience and that's what you're on here for ,right? My comment about open container with the lid on was precisely what I meant. A sealed lid. And it did not belong to my daughter and nor was she drunk or drinking. She was in a car with 3 other people 2 of whom were drinking and had beer cans etc. in their bags. She gets charged because the cop kept calling her a liar because the other 2 drunk kids fessed up and she wouldn't say anything other than the sealed jar wasn't hers. The officer then made her get out of the car to look at her Ohio license and made the comment are you sure this isn't fake because all the fake licenses come from Ohio!! These codes are what are on her ticket...132.03A and 257.624A. My next problem is we cannot afford a lawyer so what happens when just her and I go to court? And if she pleads guilty and takes a misdemeanor on her record is it true it is expunged at the age of 21? Thank you and sorry if the majority of you think I have no common sense but I do. We just need some ADVICE.