My question involves criminal law for the state of: Illinois.

I am 22 years old. Last night, I was arrested in Aurora, DuPage County, Illinois for possession of 5 grams of cannabis. The police found me in a parked car in front of a friend's house. After being asked to step out of the car, I was honest and told the police that I had cannabis in my pocket and a smoking bowl in the car. I was later handcuffed and taken to the police station. There, I was told that I had been charged with two misdemeanor counts: one for cannabis possession (Class B) and one for possession of drug paraphernalia (not sure about the class). I was released after my bail was paid. My court date is in 3 weeks.

I have a few questions regarding this issue:

1) Given that this was a first-time offense and that I was honest and compliant with the police, what is the most likely outcome of the court date?

2) In the event I do avoid conviction and complete probation, will the charges be wiped from my record, or will they still be there in some way?

3) Should I hire a private attorney, or should I settle with the public defender?

Thank you in advance for any input about this subject.