Minor in Possession of Alcohol in California

Last night me and my friend were in a car with three other people and were stopped at a gas station by the police. the police searched the car and found that there was marijuana and alcohol, which we did not know was in the car when we got in it. after both of us were searched and had nothing found on us, we were both given minor in possession of alcohol tickets. Neither of us had any knowledge of the alcohol and if we were to have been breathalyzed we both would have came up with no alcohol in our systems at all. The cops not only failed to breathalyzed us but also never did any research into who's alcohol it really was. While we received our tickets the guy who's alcohol it really was, only received a possession of marijuana ticket. We both think that were innocent and would like to contest the ticket so we don't have to go through life with something on our record were not responsible for. Should we contest it or not is the question? please answer!

You need an attorney.

You would have to ask the officer why he "only" gave the third passenger the possession of marijuana ticket.

It's reasonable to infer that the officer concluded from the circumstances that you knew about the alcohol, and thus that you had actual or constructive possession of the alcohol. Have your case reviewed by a criminal defense lawyer, and see if the person who possessed the alcohol offers a plausible story whereby it was his and his alone, and you wouldn't have known he had it.

You should absolutely fight the case/do whatever you can to avoid a conviction because, in California, if you are convicted of an alcohol-related offense as a minor your license will be suspended for 1 year. This would be a terrible consequence especially if you are not guilty.