Just need to vent

Topic: Just need to vent (Read 1524 times) previous topic - next topic

Just need to vent

September 09, 2005, 05:39:39 PM

Ok, couple weeks ago I get caught drinking in MN, I get charged with illegal consumtion (I'm 19). I only blew a .038, but they have zero tolerance

. Anywho, the officer writes 9-3-05 as the court date, I am a full time student at ISU down here in Ames, so I drive up there and find out that the court is closed on Saturdays and the officer wrote down the wrong date

So I talked to the dispatcher and he gave me the number to the city atty. and I call him the following tuesday. He tells me that he will talk to the judge and see if we can't do this by mail. A day goes by and he doesn't call me back. I start calling the office and as soon as I say my name to the secretary she says the atty is busy and he'll call me back. Never does and I can't get ahold of him. I call the court and they tell me that their ticket says I have to be this Monday. So now I have to drive 2.5 hours at $3.09 a gallon and miss a Calc exam. This wouldn't have happened if I wasn't drinking, but that doesn't excuse the fact that they f*cked up and I'm paying extra for it.

I just want to burn something.

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #1 – September 09, 2005, 06:06:47 PM

'Round here that incorrect court date would be grounds for dismissal. My father actually got off on a speeding ticket like that once - the ticket was dated for a holiday. Dad went to court, it was closed. The following day he called the prosecutor and said "I was here, where were you?". The prosecutor dropped the case.

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #2 – September 09, 2005, 06:28:10 PM

Not to mention, since he's 19, in Canada this would have never happened LOL

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #3 – September 09, 2005, 06:30:52 PM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken

'Round here that incorrect court date would be grounds for dismissal. My father actually got off on a speeding ticket like that once - the ticket was dated for a holiday. Dad went to court, it was closed. The following day he called the prosecutor and said "I was here, where were you?". The prosecutor dropped the case.

For the above reason, I'd be talkin to a lawyer right now.

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #4 – September 09, 2005, 07:23:27 PM

They'll let you off on a speeding ticket due to the fact that you were inconvenienced and in the grand scheme of things 10 or 15 over is not that big of a deal. The way most jurisdictions view underage drinking however will be a much tougher sell for dismissal......
Out here they'd laugh at that one. Where you are.....who knows. Good luck.

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #5 – September 09, 2005, 08:45:08 PM

Paul - up here, 10 or 15 over is a bigger fine ($272.50) than drinking underage ($157.50) and both are summary offences, tried in provincial court

...Of course, as Baxo noted, had he been in Canada this never would've happened :D

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #6 – September 10, 2005, 12:22:00 AM

The DWI issue down here is a big one. With a mess of fatalities on the raod in which at least one driver was intoxicated has infuriated most of the DA's and judges out here not to mention the county I work in has the highest fatality rate in the state (least amount of accidents per death). Stuntman's BAC was relatively low (low enough to drive legally in NY infact) Problem is.....he's under 21. This has the same weight as a speeder here as well, however it is much more severe as far as the prosecutors are concerned.

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #7 – September 10, 2005, 07:04:40 AM

That should totally be dismissed. Incorrect date, extenuating cirspoogestances. It' just depends on how big minnesota is on things. A nice judge will dismiss it, and ass of a judge will take it all the way. Hey, you live in ames? We should go out for a couple of drinks and a cruise.

*edit*

I guess you'll be drinking pop, totally forgot you're not 21 despite the fact that's what the thread's based on...

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #8 – September 10, 2005, 08:58:44 AM

Paul: I don't see where he said he was driving? DUI is a big thing here, too - probably a bigger thing than it is in the USA, but he said he was simply caught for underage drinking (a fine my brother paid many, many times :D)

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #9 – September 10, 2005, 06:54:54 PM

I figured since he was made to blow he was driving (we don't measure the BAC out here for underage drinking. If the DA needs it they call us in to testify about our observations of the individual in question) I kinda went on autopilot on that part.....sorry.

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #10 – September 11, 2005, 01:49:00 AM

I should have gotten a lawyer, but it's too late now. I'll let you guys know the outcome.

Amooset- I live in Maple 1st floor

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #11 – September 13, 2005, 01:57:03 AM

Well there's good news and bad news. Good news, my mother got ahold of the atty. and got him to talk to the judge and get it done by mail. The bad news, two of the other guys I was with got it pretty hard. One got a $220 fine and has to go to a "chemical dependency" class. Also if he gets caught drinking in the next year he will have to serve 3 days in jail in MN. The other, that had a prior ticket when he was 14 (he's almost 20 now), got three days in jail and $5__.00 fine and 1 year probation. That's a little harsh if you ask me. I don't have any prior's, thank God.

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #12 – September 13, 2005, 10:38:58 AM

man. college kids drink, yah, you should get a ticket, you broke the law but all this bullshiznit is nothing more than bullshiznit. oh we are trying to help the youth of america and this . won't stop nobody from drinking or humping or smoking.. kids are gunna do what they are gunna do, specially in college, give the fine, tell em thier dumb and send em home. they are over 18 and can be killed for the country but cna't have a f'ing beer with the guys while tailgating.. sorry but it's just stupid and it me off.

Re: Just need to vent

Reply #13 – September 13, 2005, 05:42:37 PM

What he said.