Breaking & Entering and Larceny Charges

What is the name of your state? Michigan

I am looking for some help, I have a 16 year old who got into trouble, He is charged
with:
1 Charge Breaking & Entering a vehicle with damage to vehicle (this is a felony)

1 charge of Breaking & Entering a vehicle to steal property
less than $200.00 (misdemeanor)

He has 3 charges of Larceny- less than $200.00 (misdemeanor).

He goes in front of a referee on 2-11-08, his court papers say "the purpose of this hearing is to decide, at a pretrial, whether the petition will be adjudicated"

Which I really does not know what that means.

All this stuff he pretty much did do excpet for the first charge.

His friend busted out a window of a car which this was not planned he did not know his friend was going to do this but he was right there and his friend yelled at him to grab the stuff on the seat and my son, not thinking did it. And they were caught.

My son has never been in any kind of trouble before. We cannot afford to hire an attorney everyone I have called wants almost 1500.00 just for retainer and my husband has been laid off and we struggle just to get by, the court will not give us a court appointed attorney as I already tried that.


I am most worried about this "felony" charge, also of this being on his record to where he must tell employers of this.

I was told if I can get it on the "consent calendar" that would be best???

I am wondering how can I pursue getting it on the consent calendar when we go in front of this referee, or even how many can I can any charges lessened?

I need to know what I should be doing or asking or saying to these people.

ANY help would be great, also I can be emailed direct at bacardi4me@netzero.net

Why were you denied a court appointed attorney?

You really need one here.

He was denied a court appointed attorney because they say we make to much money.
We had to send in our 2006 Tax return and W-2's.

They said you only qualify if you make little or no money.

It didn't matter to them that my husband is now laid off and his unemployment benefits are not even 1/2 of what his normal earnings would be or did not even compare to last years w-2's, I work also but do not make allot, my husband made the majority of our income.

So I told the court then I refuse to get my son an attorney since I do not have the funds to pay a retainer fee, it said on the court papers if I "refuse" or was "financially unable" then to contact them for a court appointed attorney, but they then said well, I had already filled out the financial papers and was denied.