Posted on 07/18/2010 3:45:36 PM PDT by ComeCulturedGirl
My girl friend need helps. But I don't know how to help her. her brother (35 yo) got a ticket for "unlawful posession of illegal fireworks" on Jul 4. he went to the court , the judge told him to get a lawyer (his income is a little bit too high to get a public defender). it costs $2000 for lawyer. it's rediculous to spend $2000 for having fun with fireworks on Jul 4. the lawyer said, he can pledge on his own at court, but if what ever he says do not make sense, he will go jail for 90 days plus a big fine. it's the first time he got a silly ticket like that . I would appreciate if any one could give me an idea.
What country are you from? Is that you, Patois?
I am an Elementary drop out !
You should give High School a try. I often got lucky in High School.
like to entertain people and sometimes need to be entertained !
:)
Good grief!
What fascist state does he live in that won’t let citizens obtain and use fireworks?
Uncle Sugar gave me a skill set in EOD he can never get back so, that said ......
.....who the hell “buys” fireworks anymore ??
This VK list keeper gets FReepmailed to the Crevo threads more than to any other type thread. I've started ignoring those FReepmails. I'm waiting for somebody to ask me to call the kitties on JimRob because he's a creationist. LOL
It's true. I was there. On the level. Check my signup date....
I’m on my phone so I can only type ROTFLMAO!!!!
It’s true
LoL
The hysteria, again outside of urban areas and the use by morons and children, is unjustified.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireworks
Meanwhile, those who support more liberal firework laws look at the same statistics as the critics and conclude that, when used properly, consumer fireworks are a safer form of recreation than riding bicycles or playing soccer.[10]
“I forgot Armed Robbery is illegal.” Too many times people get into trouble because they forgot those two simple words.
Now that would would be quite a sight!
Maybe you’ll get lucky with CCG?
I will suggest if the ticket is less than court costs pay it and walk away and fight the BS small fireworks laws on his own ground versus laws already on the books......possession is cheaper than use IMO pay the fine and fergitaboutit !
Welcome to FR CCG.
It will happen. I've had several requests to call the kitties on members of the class of '98, so it's just a matter of time.
I didn’t read all the responses to find out where this incident occurred. It would be my belief that this is a second degree misdemeanor punishable by 1000 fine and/or 30 days jail. I would tell him to plea straight up to the judge and leave the prosecutor out of it. You roll dice but what’s the worst that can happen?
PA is always a different jurisdiction. But we have something for this called “nolo contendre.”
It’s not even “not guilty” it is “no contest.” It means you will not make an issue of anything, you just want to know the minimum penalty.
1) What is the status of the charge - felony, misdemeanor, disorderly person, local code violation, etc.? A felony chargte is worth $2,000 to avoid. A misdemeanor is a pain in the ass, and may or may not be worth the trouble to fight it. Things like professional licenses matter here, as well as hunting and fishing licenses may be an issue.
2) What is the typical fine for the offense? Is it more or less than the retainer?
3) What is the typical disposition for such a charge? Go to court and watch what happens. Sometimes they offer community service, a fine, probation and then they drop the charge. This might be called pretrial intervention, or withheld adjudication, or something like that. The defendant admits guilt, pays a small fine, and goes on probation for some period of time. After he completes the probation, the charge is dropped. The best part of this is that he hasn’t got a conviction and the arrest can be expunged in some states.
Ask for help. Sometimes courts can be very arrogant, but they can also be surprisingly helpful. They know what lawyers charge, and they know that many people just haven’t got that kind of cash lying around. You have to know what to request. Ask if there’s a program that will allow the defendant to avoid conviction. If this particular court won’t help, ask another one. Ask about it in public, and an attorney might also hear you and offer a few tips. Bring a pen and paper.
If your friend wants to go without a lawyer, he should know that “nolo contendere” is the term to use for a “no contest” plea.
Nooooooo thank you!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.