Alcohol & Drugs: MIP, MIC, Intoxication possession charge

[franticmom]

my 17 yr old was taken in by p.o. in nj for "possession charges", she was at a party to see her boyfriend, but was not drinking. I was there to pick her up and when she walked out with the p.o. i talked to her and i know she was not drinking. but they gave her and a friend possession chgs. and we have to attend a "intake services conference". Her father and I are so nervous, as this is the first run in we ever had, and she is too. What can we expect and do i need a lawyer , although the letter says we don't?

 

[CdwJava]

A lawyer is probably not required as this is not a trial or a court proceeding. However, it never hurts to consult one.

Note, also, that possession is not the same as ownership or consumption. Possession only means she had knowledge of, and dominion and control over, the substance in question. In other words, she knew it was there and had free access to the alcohol. if this is not the case, then you might want to have all the people who were there write letters to that effect and explaining why a minor did not have access to the liquor ... of course, that presupposes that all these OTHER parties are 21 or over and were controlling access ... I am going to guess that none of them want to get hit with a contributing charge, so they aren't going to volunteer much.

This hearing is probably going to be the "straighten up and fly right, or else ..." meeting. If this is the worst thing she does, consider yourself very lucky.

- Carl