got locked up this weekend - need advice

[youngnastyman]

Heres the story:

Last weekend, my girlfriend and I were leaving dinner and on our way home. She turned onto the freeway and crossed over 3 lanes, almost causing an accident (women drivers right )

Anyways - a cop sees the whole thing happen and pulls us over. The car smelled heavily of herbal essence (the green kind) and the officer immediately pulled her out of the vehicle. They then came to me and asked where it was. I played stupid for about 5 minutes. Then when they threatened to bring in the K-9's, being the honest dummy that I am, I opened the glove-box and lo behold there was 2 bags of herbal essence and a few pipes. They go on to search my girlfriend and myself. Then they asked whose it was and I took responsibility and said it was mine. She is a med student with lofty goals and I did not want both of our futures to be ruined. After that, the cuffed me and took me to jail where I spent the rest of my Saturday night.

Now I'm here at work and am on the verge of tears (go ahead call me a puss I don't care). my life was going so good. I just graduated, have a good job, was looking for a better one, or even a promotion at my current company. Now with this charge on my record my options have decreased drastically. I don't know if I should just keep quiet and stick around for another year (or possibly more) while this unfolds, or continue my life as if nothing happened and deal with this issue as it progresses.

As for legal options - Texas has pretty harsh laws in this matter and I'm probably going to end up on some sort of probation, or if I'm lucky a pre-trial diversion. My lawyer, who is a good friend of mine, is pretty connected in Harris county, but unfortunately I was processed in Montgomery county, with which he has no connections. Should I still hire him for this case? Or look for someone else that maybe has more experience in the county I am being tried in?

I know this may or may not be the best place for this but surely there are successful people on this forum (as many of you drive very expensive cars) that have gone through a similar predicament. Or maybe you are a lawyer or a police officer that has some good advice for me. I am 25 years old and have a lot of life to live. I do not want this going on my record, but I feel like a year on probation will be very hard for me to accommodate with my job.

What should I do?

[Q4P]

Man that's a pretty unfortunate situation. Any laws in Texas about sealing records or how long has to pass before that happens?

[youngnastyman]

Record can be sealed - but the time in between it will still be public information.

[CollinsE90]

lol it's possession, calm down and get a lawyer

[MP0WER]

Originally Posted by youngnastyman

Heres the story:

Last weekend, my girlfriend and I were leaving dinner and on our way home. She turned onto the freeway and crossed over 3 lanes, almost causing an accident (women drivers right )

Anyways - a cop sees the whole thing happen and pulls us over. The car smelled heavily of herbal essence (the green kind) and the officer immediately pulled her out of the vehicle. They then came to me and asked where it was. I played stupid for about 5 minutes. Then when they threatened to bring in the K-9's, being the honest dummy that I am, I opened the glove-box and lo behold there was 2 bags of herbal essence and a few pipes. They go on to search my girlfriend and myself. Then they asked whose it was and I took responsibility and said it was mine. She is a med student with lofty goals and I did not want both of our futures to be ruined. After that, the cuffed me and took me to jail where I spent the rest of my Saturday night.

Now I'm here at work and am on the verge of tears (go ahead call me a puss I don't care). my life was going so good. I just graduated, have a good job, was looking for a better one, or even a promotion at my current company. Now with this charge on my record my options have decreased drastically. I don't know if I should just keep quiet and stick around for another year (or possibly more) while this unfolds, or continue my life as if nothing happened and deal with this issue as it progresses.

As for legal options - Texas has pretty harsh laws in this matter and I'm probably going to end up on some sort of probation, or if I'm lucky a pre-trial diversion. My lawyer, who is a good friend of mine, is pretty connected in Harris county, but unfortunately I was processed in Montgomery county, with which he has no connections. Should I still hire him for this case? Or look for someone else that maybe has more experience in the county I am being tried in?

I know this may or may not be the best place for this but surely there are successful people on this forum (as many of you drive very expensive cars) that have gone through a similar predicament. Or maybe you are a lawyer or a police officer that has some good advice for me. I am 25 years old and have a lot of life to live. I do not want this going on my record, but I feel like a year on probation will be very hard for me to accommodate with my job.

What should I do?

For starters, don't break the law. Not trying to be a jerk, but we all know the consequences of what we do. If you're not willing to accept them, don't break the law. Sorry you got busted, that sucks.

In the mean time, it's better to get someone who is more experienced in the county you're charged. I took my super connected traffic lawyer from my home county to the adjacent county and that didn't work out so well. It's way more "who you know" than what you know when you're in the court room.

[infinitekid2002]

No priors right? Just chill. You have a lawyer and they won't throw the book at you.

Later move to California...k?

Getting it expunged from your record might be possible after you complete your sentence or whatever...check with your lawyer because it might be best to get this through a plea deal.

[ghosthi32]

calm down and talk to a lawyer. its not the end of the world

[MediaArtist]

I don't know how it is in Texas, but I have plenty of friends who make lots of money in their great careers after being caught with weed when they were younger. It's not a career killer. You're young, just make sure to do that stuff in the privacy of your own home, not while driving a 400hp car.

[CollinsE90]

Paraphernalia and a couple grams? You'll get a year deferred prosecution and unsupervised probation. Buy some Ozium and don't smoke in your car genius, especially when a female is driving.

[infinitekid2002]

Originally Posted by Brain

are you seriously asking the OT of a bmw forum this question before calling a lawyer? U still high?

he's just worried..totally understandable..

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by Brain

are you seriously asking the OT of a bmw forum this question before calling a lawyer? U still high?

He's wanting to know what others have experienced so the wait of the court date isn't as bad. Just needs peace of mind.


Simple, smoke a bowl.

[PINeely]

For future reference, don't cave to threats of the dog next time. They'll threaten it all day long but very few cops actually want to sit there on the side of the road for 30 mins while they wait for the K9 unit to come, especially if it's just to do someone for weed. If the dog does show up, well, you were going to tell them where it was anyway.

[Seminole]

Bigger question is what sexual favors you should be demanding of your GF since her stupidity is what got you pulled over in the first place.

[MP0WER]

Originally Posted by Brain

Were it me, the best peace of mind would come from a lawyer who understands the process and prevailing laws in TX bracing me for what is coming and what I should expect instead of reaching out publicly to strangers on a website that has nothing to do with being arrested for weed. But then again, just me, and I hate everything.

This is true too.. cause i sure won't hire you now.

[Greenkirby21]

don't smoke
problem averted

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by PINeely

For future reference, don't cave to threats of the dog next time. They'll threaten it all day long but very few cops actually want to sit there on the side of the road for 30 mins while they wait for the K9 unit to come, especially if it's just to do someone for weed. If the dog does show up, well, you were going to tell them where it was anyway.

1. Most cops will use your lack of cooperation as probable cause.
2. Cops don't mind busting for marijuana unless you're in a state it's medically legal.
3. Dogs don't always find stuff.
4. He had it in the glove box.
5. He smoked in the car.
6. He wasn't driving.

He made many mistakes, he was fucked when they flipped the lights.

[ghosthi32]

Originally Posted by Seminole

Bigger question is what sexual favors you should be demanding of your GF since her stupidity is what got you pulled over in the first place.

+100000

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by Brain

Were it me, the best peace of mind would come from a lawyer who understands the process and prevailing laws in TX bracing me for what is coming and what I should expect instead of reaching out publicly to strangers on a website that has nothing to do with being arrested for weed. But then again, just me, and I hate everything.

That lawyer doesn't know every outcome, especially it happening this weekend and he doesn't have all the info yet. Which is why he's came here, because the lawyer had nothing to tell him yet. Lawyers aren't there to put false hope.

[PINeely]

Originally Posted by CollinsE90

1. Most cops with use your lack of cooperation as probable cause.
2. Cops don't mind busting for marijuana unless you're in a state it's medically legal.
3. Dogs don't always find stuff.
4. He had it in the glove box.
5. He smoked in the car.
6. He wasn't driving.

He made many mistakes, he was fucked when they flipped the lights.

Probably so. I've refused a few searches even when I was clean and never had a problem but my state is lenient and lazy.

[ghosthi32]

Originally Posted by CollinsE90

That lawyer doesn't know every outcome, especially it happening this weekend and he doesn't have all the info yet. Which is why he's came here, because the lawyer had nothing to tell him yet. Lawyers aren't there to put false hope.

hey collin....


NO

[Draven]

On the one hand, I've been in a similar situation and had to put my entire life on hold for a year while I got it sorted out.

On the other hand, you can't teach people to accept the unlikely potential consequences of their actions before they're faced with them. What happened to you was unlikely yet possible and you're now having to deal with it. You'll find this experience was a blessing later, as it will teach you to behave and not risk your your career, life, and goals, over an hour or two of being high. I was pretty risk-taking before my own personal experience and I'm EXTREMELY risk adverse now. The consequences just aren't worth the risk. Think of it this way: what if your employer drug tested you today, and you lost your job for it. How foolish would you feel giving up your future and your career over weed? Is it worth it, for either you or your girl, to risk your entire futures over some high?

For what it's worth, I'm not trying to preach to the OP, but I hope this message gets across to everyone else taking risks with their careers in various ways. My experience taught me to live my life in a very transparent way. If I can't tell my parents, my boss, and my girlfriend, I don't do it.

[NYCGP]

Draven.. what a tremendous avatar.. Really.. really attractive..