My boyfriend got probation and community service for a marijuana possession charge and did not complete it. He has had this warrant for a year and was recently arrested. I cannot bond him out and lawyers are pretty pricey. Wondering if anyone knows how much time he may be looking at. Thanks!

Hello L:

He'll probably be sent to jail for the original term he was sentenced to.

excon

Wow... thanks for your answer. Do you happen to know if getting a lawyer would help reduce the time or possibly get him a second chance at probation?

Hello L:

Getting a lawyer ALWAYS helps.

Look. You didn't supply much information, so I didn't have a lot to base my answer on. I don't know HOW much pot he had. I don't know if this was his first offense. I don't know HOW long he's been gone. I don't know HOW well he did before he split. I don't know if he's paid his fines, or did his community service. I don't know if he had a job. I don't know if he failed any drug tests. I don't know WHY he left.

So, I assumed the WORST case basis in my answer. If, however, he's NOT, AND he has a lawyer, he stands a good chance of being reinstated, AFTER maybe 30 days in jail.

excon

Hello L:

Getting a lawyer ALWAYS helps.

Look. You didn't supply much information, so I didn't have a lot to base my answer on. I dunno HOW much pot he had. I dunno if this was his first offense. I dunno HOW long he's been gone. I dunno HOW well he did before he split. I dunno if he's paid his fines, or did his community service. I dunno if he had a job. I dunno if he failed any drug tests. I dunno WHY he left.

So, I assumed the WORST case basis in my answer. If, however, he's NOT, AND he has a lawyer, he stands a good chance of being reinstated, AFTER maybe 30 days in jail.
excon

He only had a half a joint, it was his first offence. We were both arrested together for marijuana possession last Sunday in Atlanta and I got out of jail on Tuesday, but because he had a that warrant we spoke of, he was held for tranfer to Cobb County. He has been in Cobb for 2 days now.

He did fine on his probation but didn't do the community service hours which lead to the warrant, did not fail drug tests and was working at the time. The warrant was issued in April 09. It just now caught up with him. I plan to wait until I get to visit him to find out if he wants me to get a lawyer or save the money for when he is out of jail. I haven't been able to talk to him since court beause we don't have a landline telephone. I got my friends # so she can do the 3way call for us, but the jail (of course) will not pass that # along to him. Thanks for your help... I think I may go for a "free consultation" and see what happens.

Hello again, L:

I think you've got a handle on it. Our jail commissary sells prepaid phone cards that allow calls to cell phones. Maybe that's an option for you guys. Those 3-ways never really work. Besides if they catch him doing it, they'll slam him...

Maybe the PD will represent him. Won't hurt to call them. If not, see if you can find a NORML lawyer... Being put on probation for half a joint IS the crime here.

excon

That's good to know... I don't need him to get into any more trouble over a phone call.

And yes, the half a joint thing is pretty outrageous, but apparently that is how they police are in Cobb County. I called a lawyer just now and was basically told that the judge sentances based on recommendations from the probation officer and right now there is no way he can get out until he goes for a revokation hearing. Which brings me to another question ( I know I'm a pain in the ) How can I find out about his court dates if we have no way of communication, do I call the jail and ask them? And also how / where do I find a public defender for him ? Thanks again

I called a lawyer just now and was basically told that the judge sentances based on recommendations from the probation officerHello again, L:

Uhhhh, DON'T hire that lawyer... He's WRONG. Well, he's right to a degree. The judge DOES listen to the PO, but he also listens to your bf's lawyer. If the lawyer is any GOOD, he'll mitigate what the PO says. That's WHY people need lawyers.

Maybe the judge will do it anyway. Who knows? Me?? I don't risk stuff like that. I always have the BEST lawyer I can afford.

I don't know if the jail will tell you when his court date is, or I don't know if you can find out from the court itself. But, you can certainly write letters back and forth in the meanwhile.

No, there's no bail on probation revocation..

excon

Yea... I write him everyday and just got his inmate info on the cobb county website so I sent a week of letters and a $20 money order yesterday. I don't think he has had a chance to spend any money yet. He was in ACDC from the 31st-6th and just got settled in Cobb. They better have transferred his Atlanta comissary to Cobb!!

Grrrrr I'm just sooo fustrated because I can't talk to him and find out what he wants to me do. He doesn't work at the moment, so I know he will feel crappy asking me to get a lawyer for a problem he had before we got together. SIGH. Maybe going crazy won't be so bad O__o

Do I have a warrant drive with no license didn't report to my probation officer but twice was suppose to do community service never went back

Hello D:

Yes, you have a warrant.

excon