You are conveniently ignoring the difference between UK and US cops here. I live in NL I have had to deal with cops plenty of times while out toking with my girlfriend. They never took any weed, never fined us, usually they don't even bother to search the car. OP whatever you do, don't go to court without a lawyer. Granted I only know of horror stories in this context, but the US has fucking dumb laws with incredibly severe punishment set on them. Don't risk years in federal pound you in the ass prison because you didn't get a lawyer. Heck even a pro-bono or a public defender is better than nothing. Whenever you wonder whether or not you should get a lawyer, you probably should.
If the police in america dont bother with weed how can you compare it to the UK lol the pigs here would rather try arrest you for marijuana than deal with real criminals..
Allow me to clarify. It isn't as if they are going to have ZERO legal representation. They can use a public defender. I should have mentioned that a Public Defender and some basic knowledge of the law could potentially serve one better than a paid lawyer. I'm not proud of it but again I'm going to highlight my level of personal experience in this category. I've lost cases with paid lawyers and I've won cases with Public Defenders and vice versa. If you have zero knowledge of the law and do not plan on learning, go ahead and hire a lawyer. Miranda Warning: "If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish." This also applies to representation in the courtroom. This to me means free lawyer. Though one which you will have to do much of the work for because they are overworked, possibly unqualified and definitely do not go golfing with your judge. Though they eat lunch in the same cafeteria as the prosecutor and SA, so *shrug.* Again, I do not live in New Jersey. I live in Chicago. However, at the time when I was still catching cases (haven't been in trouble in almost a decade), Marijuana was a police cash crop. Half the people I was locked up with were there for weed and I bore witness multiple times to sex offenders getting petty sentences compared to 1st offense growers and dealers. Though justice prevails, even a few years in the joint for a sex criminal can be a death sentence. Despite what you may have heard, even convicts have a code of ethics.
It also depends on who your judge is. I've been in Front of many judges some are hard asses that like to make a point others not so much. So your best bet is get a reasonably price lawyer to at least plead down your charge for you.
listen to this guy he knows what hes talking about. even though 50g is a lot to get caught with. where i am at thats a felony and they will try to say its not personal use and therefore possible distribution. theres a lot of context missing here to give a definitive answer. is it a misdemeanor or a felony? where i am at first time offense misdeamonors get waived for $300 bucks. lawyer or not, thats why lawyers love those cases. $3000 and lawyer just asks to get that, no work done. easy money. if that is the case where your at you can show up without a lawyer and they will have a blackboard in the room with all the information about it, does not get much easier than that. IF this is a MISDEMEANOR, when you get your mail on where you are going and what room and what time etc.. go there as soon as possible BEFORE your date to see how the courts work and to SEE if the that blackboard is there for first time offence misdemeanors program. if it is, you are golden pal. when they call your name up they will call the officer too and if he does not show up the case is dropped. but if he does show up then you ask for the first time offense misdemeanor program. i cannot recall but if they ask you if you are guilty or not guilty before they call the cops up to the podium, just say you want the first time offense misdemeanor program find out about the first time misdemeanor program, IF they do not have one where you are at, get a lawyer IF this is a FELONY, get a lawyer
I agree only in the usa would a cop get to use I was afraid for my life when I smelled MJ so that why I shot multi times (the cop got away with killing a man that had his 5 year old? daughter next to him because the cop smelled pot)
Cops can definitely be assholes... I was coming home from my wedding rehearsal of all things about 12:30 at night... get pulled over by two squad cars and I knew I would because they had someone else pulled over on the road... they were just pulling over all the occasional cars that passed by and harassed them... I was driving the speed limit and doing nothing at all wrong yet they just magically assumed I was drinking since it was a Friday night... they also felt my "suspicious" activity warranted speeding their asses off to catch up to me since they took their time finishing up with the other guy... both talking about they believe I been drinking yada yada and didn't believe the wedding thing... man I just said if y'all don't believe me give me a breathalyzer and if you think there is something in the car go ahead and waste our time and search it it's full of junk though... (it really was)... and they gave me my shit back (license and Insurance) and let me go... now I wasn't very nice at all but neither were they and I didn't do anything stupid or anything and kept my hands on the steering wheel while one guy was on each side looking in... (thankfully that was a small gap of time I was not smoking). Robs New Journal RQS SQ#1 Clones
Speed, get pulled over. Drive the speed limit? Get pulled over because if you're obeying the law to the letter you're acting suspicious. Ah, America...
Ya, my sisters fiance got a ticket for doing the speed limit because he was impeding the flow of traffic. Some new slowpoke law. Pretty crazy. I understand it from a certain perspective, as it can be dangerous, but wow. and apparently the flow of traffic may be safer above the speed limit, and yet, you can get ticketed for exceeding the speed limit. Logic..
You're an idiot, go watch the video of the incident that you claim to know so much about. Fact is he had a loaded and concealed firearm and was told MULTIPLE times to NOT reach for it and continued to do so, how long should the officer of waited until he was able to point it at him, until he fired at him? Put yourself in the officers shoes, they are doing a job, and every day they put their lives on the line for YOU AND ME, they'd like to go home at the end of the day too. Every day they deal with the WORST of society.
So if your father was shot to death not just shot shot to DEATH by a punk ass scared pig screaming like a fucking child because he allegedly reached for his gun he had a permit for and damn well had every right to have... a lot of people in America conceal carry buddo.... he didn't get pulled over for doing anything violent he got pulled over for a fucking vehicle violation just bullshit cops use to bring in the money. The only thing I can honestly say is that to bad his woman didn't conceal carry and unload the clip on that pig.... would of been justified imo especially with the video from both sides. He shot her man to death for no reason and she retaliated cops sure as fuck aren't above the law. I'd be willing to bet everything I own he wouldn't of shot a white man to death for that. Shouldn't be a pig if you are scared of black folk.... Robs New Journal RQS SQ#1 Clones
The way you type/talk is unintelligent. I'm not wasting my time going into a reply with much depth to keep it on your level. You seem to be part of the problem. You're one of those that calls them "pigs" until you need one or are trying to get out of a crime by saying "sir, yes sir, thank you for your help sir". You are so naive that you think he was shot because he was black. Again go watch the video, he reaches for the firearm after being told 3-4times to not reach, to stop, and he still went for his gun. You should also get your facts straight, far more Caucasians are shot by police than blacks.
That was an insulting reply, but how do you explain this one away? He was doing everything right; White Police Officer in St. Louis Shoots Off-Duty Black Colleague A white police officer shot and wounded an off-duty black officer who had been trying to help with an arrest in St. Louis last week, a “friendly fire” shooting that again drew national attention to the role race plays in decisions by law enforcement officials to open fire. The shooting took place around 10 p.m. on June 21 when officers tried to stop a car that had been reported stolen, Lawrence O’Toole, the interim police chief of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, said in a statement. Three people in the car opened fire at the officers, then fled on foot when the vehicle crashed. After an exchange of gunfire with the police, one of the suspects was shot in the ankle. The off-duty officer, a 38-year-old black man with 11 years of service, was inside his home nearby when he heard the commotion. Taking his police-issued weapon, he went outside to help, the statement said. When he approached the scene, two of the officers told him to get on the ground but then recognized him and ordered him to walk toward them. But another officer who had just arrived, a 36-year-old white man with more than eight years of service, did not recognize the black officer. That officer, “fearing for his safety,” the police statement said, fired a shot. The black officer was hit in the arm; he was treated in hospital and released, the police statement said. Neither officer’s name has been released.
I read it wrong I thought the off duty had his gun I have seen guys shot in plain cloths by uniformed officers who they never knew were Cops I had to save them