First Offense Possession of Marijuana < 1 Ounce
My question involves criminal law for the state of: Oregon
Im 20 I previously only had an expired tags violation on my record. I got caught with about 1.5g of pot, I also got an MIP charge while having 2 friends over in a hotel room. The hotel manager charged an extra $300 on to my debit card for "not being able to clear the stench of weed, and alcohol for a whole day" and refunding 2 other hotel rooms. The agreement I signed before paying for the hotel room stated that guests who smoke in the rooms are liable for damages and cleaning costs. No one smoked anything in the room that night. The smell was from the weed that was with me. I feel the manager is trying to screw me.
My questions are: What can i do about the weed charge? How long will my license be suspended? would it be worth it to fight the hotel in court?
Terms and Conditions from the paper i signed were emailed to me:
The **** Inn is a limited liability company and the management reserves the right to refuse service to anyone
SMOKING IS NOT ALLOWED IN ANY **** ROOMS, THE ****HOUSE or the **** HOUSE; however, smoking is allowed in designated areas. A guest who does smoke in the room will be liable for all charges, including extra cleaning fees incurred relating to damages to the room, its contents and the grounds.
Guests who cause property damage to the **** Inn, **** House and/or **** House will be responsible for all fees and charges incurred for the repairs of said damage.
Thank you for your time. i apologize for making it so long, but its a long story.
Re: First Possesion of Marijuana < 1 Ounce
The weed charge is sort of small but the liscense supsension stings. A lawyer may be able to cut the time in half and get you in to a diversion program to avoid a conviction.
Re: First Possesion of Marijuana < 1 Ounce
You can have a look at maximum penalties for possession here.
You're looking at a fine of $500 - $1000 (for a first offender, it's going to be on the lower end of the scale) and a mandatory 6 month suspension of your license if you're convicted.
You're likely eligible for a conditional discharge - consult with an attorney in your area about requirements. Conditional discharge will result in no record and no license suspension.
As for the hotel, you might be able to fight them, but it would cost you more in attorney and court fees to do so.
And:
Quote:
The smell was from the weed that was with me.
I doubt this muchly. Unsmoked mary jane smells, but a bit more than a gram is not going to stink up a hotel room unless you rubbed it all over the walls. You'd have a really, really hard time arguing this in court.