Minor in Possession of Alcohol, Paraphernalia, and Tobacco in Texas

I was driving and was pulled over for not having my headlights on. The officer said that he thought I had something to drink a few hours previously or that I was stoned. He tried to search my car but I didn't consent to a search. He peered into my windows for awhile, meanwhile he called another officer over, he claimed a water bottle protruding from my friend's bag was probable cause. I watched as the cops tore my car to pieces, they found a bong as well as alcohol and tobacco in my friend's bag. My friend had left the bag in my car and I had been trying to give it back to him, but because it was in my car I was in possession. I am 16 and this is my first offense, my parents fear that I will be sent to juvenile hall and want me to take self defense classes to protect myself from being raped. I am an honor student and in advanced classes and have never had any previous problems with the law.

Will I be sent to juvenile hall? If not what will my punishment likely be? Should I be worried?

I doubt that you will be incarcerated if your record is otherwise clean, but you should get help from a lawyer. It may be possible to establish that the search was unlawful, and thus that the evidence found in your car cannot be used in court.

Is there any chance your friend is going to admit that it was his bag?

I doubt my parents would allow a lawyer to assist me, as they are hoping I will suffer and be shocked into being an angel. My friend might admit, but the officer said that that was irrelevant because it was in my car. Will my friend be severely busted for admitting, or will the evidence be thrown out? What do you think my punishment will be if I am not incarcerated?

thanks

all of those are class c misdemeanors in Texas... and you will not go to jail...
Okay, you need to go to the courthouse and ask about Teen Court, and because they are all class c, and presumably, on the same ticket, you can do community service rather than pay, and that ticket will be dismissed in municipal court...

Teen Court is a great program...

I'm quite relieved. How much community service would they have in mind? Are there only specific organizations I can work for or could I do community service for a neighbor? If for some reason I was not granted Teen Court what would my punishment be?

thanks again

Well, firstly, what city, county do you live in?
and, secondly, you can do community service at anyplace nonprofit like church, goodwill, or anywhere...
but are all of the charges on one piece of paper?
if you are denied teen court, you will probably end up paying about 800 bucks...
but thats just an estimate...

Also, those are all class 5 Teen Court offenses, so you will get
52-64 hrs each...
and you have 3 months from your teen court sentencing to get the hours done,
also, you will have to sit on the teen court jury 3 times

Southlake, in Tarrant County. All the charges are on one piece of paper. I might be mistaken, but I believe that one cannot participate in Teen Court twice within two years. "A defendant may only appear in Teen Court once within a two-year period."* The 800$ sounds reasonable, I'm only worried if they suspend my Driver's License temporarily, at which I will request permission to drive to work (so that I may pay the fine) and school (to continue my education); is there a strong chance that my license will be temporarily suspended? If so, would my request be considered?


* Data from: http://www.texasteencourt.com/who.aspx

lol thats crazy
i live in euless!
anyway have you already done teen court? if so then you should request deferred adjudication because it will not go on your record...
but if you haven't then you can do teen court
it sucks though cause the teen court judge is gonna make you take an alcohol awareness class a drug awareness class and a tobacco awareness class which will take a considerable amount of your summer away

its up to you if you wanna just pay the fine or waste all your time on community service.
when you go to court, plead
“ guilty with teen court ”

also tell me once you find out your teen court date, cause i still have 2 jury terms to serve...
cause in april i got into a fight and broke my hand lol
cause of my schools (chhs) stupid zero tolerance bull
me and the other kid got arrested