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Woke up with 3 misdemeanors. Am I going to jail?

HaloFan2980HaloFan2980 Registered User regular
edited June 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
quick question. few days ago i was drinking with friends. night ended. i finished the liquor. went to bed. woke up in jail. guess i broke a bunch of stuff outside. got public intoxication, criminal trespassing, and criminal damages. court later this week. i guess i'm supposed to plead no contest? i dont know. so am i going to jail now? i have no past history of anything. not even speeding tickets. but i still got no clue what i did or what happened.

HaloFan2980 on

Posts

  • Grid SystemGrid System Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Get a lawyer.

    Grid System on
  • Count FunkulaCount Funkula Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    This may not help you with your current situation, but maybe next time instead of "finishing the liquor" after the party is over, save some for next time. It doesn't go bad, you know.

    Count Funkula on
  • The LandoStanderThe LandoStander Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Seconded on the lawyer thing. I'm not familiar with the ordinances and such in your location but misdemeanors tend to carry fines and probation but jail isn't an impossibility.

    The LandoStander on
    Maybe someday, they'll see a hero's just a man. Who knows he's free.
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Without knowing the particulars, it's unlikely you will be punished with jail time.

    Expect what could be a substantial fine (this is in addition to restitution for whatever you managed to break in your drunken Hulk-out) and possibly a few dozen hours of community service, i.e. picking up trash on the freeway/clearing brush.

    Depending on your means, getting a lawyer would not be a bad idea.

    firewaterword on
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  • DmanDman Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    You should try to find out what happened. If you have the money maybe try to get in contact with the people whose property you destroyed apologize, pay them for it, and ask for a statement from them (name, address, phone, money payed etc) accepting your apology & money.

    Obviously getting a lawyer is a good idea, but it seems to me if you can make things right before your court appearance it should stand to you.

    Is it possible to talk to the arresting officer or get a copy of the police report? You really need to know what happened IMO.

    Also, I don't know anything about US law, so you could pay property damage by your own choice and then still end up paying fines and whatnot in court. Good luck.

    Dman on
  • VisionOfClarityVisionOfClarity Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Could offering to pay for the damages could be seen as an admission of guilt if the people decide to press charges?

    VisionOfClarity on
  • EliteLamerEliteLamer __BANNED USERS regular
    edited June 2009
    Dman wrote: »
    You should try to find out what happened. If you have the money maybe try to get in contact with the people whose property you destroyed apologize, pay them for it, and ask for a statement from them (name, address, phone, money payed etc) accepting your apology & money.

    Obviously getting a lawyer is a good idea, but it seems to me if you can make things right before your court appearance it should stand to you.

    Is it possible to talk to the arresting officer or get a copy of the police report? You really need to know what happened IMO.

    Also, I don't know anything about US law, so you could pay property damage by your own choice and then still end up paying fines and whatnot in court. Good luck.

    I think it would be great when people mess up and they make things right with everyone things just get dropped but it does not work like that :( He could march over there give them 1000 bucks for the dmg and what not but he is still going to court and can still get charged with the same crap no matter what he did to make it right.

    EliteLamer on
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  • DemerdarDemerdar Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Get a copy of the police report, and then go see a lawyer if you don't think you can handle this in court yourself (a lot of the times, the prosecution will greatly reduce your fines/charges just by looking at your past history, etc).

    Demerdar on
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  • GrundlestiltskinGrundlestiltskin Behind you!Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    EliteLamer wrote: »
    Dman wrote: »
    You should try to find out what happened. If you have the money maybe try to get in contact with the people whose property you destroyed apologize, pay them for it, and ask for a statement from them (name, address, phone, money payed etc) accepting your apology & money.

    Obviously getting a lawyer is a good idea, but it seems to me if you can make things right before your court appearance it should stand to you.

    Is it possible to talk to the arresting officer or get a copy of the police report? You really need to know what happened IMO.

    Also, I don't know anything about US law, so you could pay property damage by your own choice and then still end up paying fines and whatnot in court. Good luck.

    I think it would be great when people mess up and they make things right with everyone things just get dropped but it does not work like that :( He could march over there give them 1000 bucks for the dmg and what not but he is still going to court and can still get charged with the same crap no matter what he did to make it right.

    He'll still get charged, but his sentencing could be a lot more lenient if he looks like he gives a shit.

    Grundlestiltskin on
    3DS FC: 2079-6424-8577 | PSN: KaeruX65 | Steam: Karulytic | FFXIV: Wonder Boy
  • VisionOfClarityVisionOfClarity Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Grundlestiltskin wrote: »
    EliteLamer wrote: »
    Dman wrote: »
    You should try to find out what happened. If you have the money maybe try to get in contact with the people whose property you destroyed apologize, pay them for it, and ask for a statement from them (name, address, phone, money payed etc) accepting your apology & money.

    Obviously getting a lawyer is a good idea, but it seems to me if you can make things right before your court appearance it should stand to you.

    Is it possible to talk to the arresting officer or get a copy of the police report? You really need to know what happened IMO.

    Also, I don't know anything about US law, so you could pay property damage by your own choice and then still end up paying fines and whatnot in court. Good luck.

    I think it would be great when people mess up and they make things right with everyone things just get dropped but it does not work like that :( He could march over there give them 1000 bucks for the dmg and what not but he is still going to court and can still get charged with the same crap no matter what he did to make it right.

    He'll still get charged, but his sentencing could be a lot more lenient if he looks like he gives a shit.

    Or like he was trying to pay them off to get the charges dropped.

    VisionOfClarity on
  • GrundlestiltskinGrundlestiltskin Behind you!Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    VisionOfClarity wrote: »
    Grundlestiltskin wrote: »
    EliteLamer wrote: »
    Dman wrote: »
    You should try to find out what happened. If you have the money maybe try to get in contact with the people whose property you destroyed apologize, pay them for it, and ask for a statement from them (name, address, phone, money payed etc) accepting your apology & money.

    Obviously getting a lawyer is a good idea, but it seems to me if you can make things right before your court appearance it should stand to you.

    Is it possible to talk to the arresting officer or get a copy of the police report? You really need to know what happened IMO.

    Also, I don't know anything about US law, so you could pay property damage by your own choice and then still end up paying fines and whatnot in court. Good luck.

    I think it would be great when people mess up and they make things right with everyone things just get dropped but it does not work like that :( He could march over there give them 1000 bucks for the dmg and what not but he is still going to court and can still get charged with the same crap no matter what he did to make it right.

    He'll still get charged, but his sentencing could be a lot more lenient if he looks like he gives a shit.

    Or like he was trying to pay them off to get the charges dropped.

    Yeah. He should totally just say it wasn't him. It'll probably look much better if he doesn't act at all repentant.

    Grundlestiltskin on
    3DS FC: 2079-6424-8577 | PSN: KaeruX65 | Steam: Karulytic | FFXIV: Wonder Boy
  • VisionOfClarityVisionOfClarity Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Grundlestiltskin wrote: »
    VisionOfClarity wrote: »
    Grundlestiltskin wrote: »
    EliteLamer wrote: »
    Dman wrote: »
    You should try to find out what happened. If you have the money maybe try to get in contact with the people whose property you destroyed apologize, pay them for it, and ask for a statement from them (name, address, phone, money payed etc) accepting your apology & money.

    Obviously getting a lawyer is a good idea, but it seems to me if you can make things right before your court appearance it should stand to you.

    Is it possible to talk to the arresting officer or get a copy of the police report? You really need to know what happened IMO.

    Also, I don't know anything about US law, so you could pay property damage by your own choice and then still end up paying fines and whatnot in court. Good luck.

    I think it would be great when people mess up and they make things right with everyone things just get dropped but it does not work like that :( He could march over there give them 1000 bucks for the dmg and what not but he is still going to court and can still get charged with the same crap no matter what he did to make it right.

    He'll still get charged, but his sentencing could be a lot more lenient if he looks like he gives a shit.

    Or like he was trying to pay them off to get the charges dropped.

    Yeah. He should totally just say it wasn't him. It'll probably look much better if he doesn't act at all repentant.

    He should let his lawyer handle it and the last thing he should do is admit to anything unless his lawyer says to.

    VisionOfClarity on
This discussion has been closed.
Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum