[sunshinestchick]

Hello!
Well this is quite embarrassing, I am a sraight A student that participates in many activities and recently I was fined for underage drinking. I am not a drinker, and that night all I did was taste a friends. As I was trying to find a way home with a friend from a birthday party that we were at, someone from my hometown offered to come pick us up. I didn't think anything of it, that they might have been drinking. Two minutes after I got into the car, I found out that they had had a little and that there was alcohol in the car. I knew it was a bad idea, but didn't have enough time before the cops pulled us over. We weren't speeding or anything, I was so scared. The police officer saw the alcohol, and asked me to hand it to him. He then asked me and my friend to step out of the car, he kept asking us questions. I assured him that the drinks weren't ours, we had just gotten into the car for a drive home, didn't know the drinks were there. I also stated that I had not been drinking, but then he kept asking and asking and pressuring me. The thought of that one sip I had was on my mind and I let it slip out that I had taken a sip but was not drinking that night. He just went off to the car, the woman officer took our names and addresses. The driver of our car had been drinking, he didn't get fined. Neither did the guy in the back that was drunk. My friend and I were fined 168$ for underage drinking. And the guy in the front who's alcohol it was, was fined also. He never did a breathalizer or anything on me, and I'm sure if he did he wouldn't find anything! The cop then poured the drinks out right in front of us "to make a point". I understand he was doing his job, I just feel horrible because I wasn't being bad or over drinking like most teenagers, I just wanted to get home:( . It has been 4 days and the cops haven't called my house, how long are they allowed to wait? I thought they had to inform my parents. They didn't even write a number which we could call them. I feel they had no proof that I was drinking, and I was intimidated into saying I had a sip. But I don't know if I can cover myself with that. I have many witnesses who will say that I just got into that car, didn't know that there was alcohol, and I wasn't partying or whatever, and that I didn't have time to leave the situation of being in that car in time. I am very upset that this has happened but I'm not sure if I even have any rights to get this dropped?

[excon]

Hello sunshine:

Legally, sipping is drinking.

excon

[ScottGem]

I'm confused. How or where were you fined? Either you were given a ticket which has a date to appear on it, or the cops just put a scare into you. If you were given a ticket to appear then show that to your parents and go to court and fight it.

If you weren't given a ticket, then there is nothing to fight. Cops can't fine you. They can only issue a ticket for a violation which may result in a fine. Only a judge or magistrate can actually levy the fine.

[sunshinestchick]

I was given a ticket. I'm going to court to fight it. I've just never dealt with this kind of stuff and wondered if I actually had a chance of getting it thrown out?

[ScottGem]

Ok so you were given a ticket. Why do you think they would call your home?

I'm not sure you have a chance of totally beating the ticket. But I do think you can probably get it pled down to a minor charge that won't affect your record.