Did you receive a citation to appear in Mecklenburg County Courtroom 1130? Courtroom 1130, also referred to as first appearance court, is an administrative criminal court that handles misdemeanor and traffic cases. There are no trials held in this courtroom. Instead, this is where many cases are handled before they are required to go to district court. To handle the high volume of misdemeanor and traffic cases in Mecklenburg County, the state attempts to do the following in courtroom 1130: 1. Reduce traffic tickets at the discretion of an assistant district attorney 2. Accept pleas of guilty 3. Set trial dates when the defendant pleads not guilty 4. Advises defendants of their rights to a court appoint attorney 5. Provides defendants with options for enrollment in diversion programs such as defensive driving school, drug education school, deferred prosecution, worthless check program, and the dispute settlement program. If you have received a citation and are required to appear in courtroom 1130, it is highly advisable that you seek the assistance of a criminal defense attorney. If you would like to schedule a free consultation with a criminal defense attorney, please contact Adkins Law. Adkins Law is located in Huntersville and primarily serves Mecklenburg County and the greater Charlotte area. An underage drinking ticket in Mecklenburg County may have serious implications on your future. A police officer may issue a drinking ticket to an underage person if they have probable cause that the underage person has any amount of alcohol in their system, no matter how little. Typically, the officer will administer an Alcosensor breath test to the teenager. This instrument is able to give the officer a reading of how much, if any, alcohol is in the teenager’s system. Any positive results on the Alcosensor may be enough is issue a drinking citation to a teenager. Even if the police officer doesn’t use an Alcosensor, all the police officer needs to establish probable cause is observation. If the police officer can testify that a teenager appeared to be under the influence of alcohol because they were unstable on their feet, had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and / or the odor of alcohol on the breath and person, the police officer has enough evidence to issue a citation, or make an arrest, for underage drinking. If you were issued a citation for underage drinking, it is highly recommended that you consult with a criminal lawyer. A lawyer may be able to negotiate a deal with the state to have your charges dismissed. Typically, a teenager charged with underage drinking is eligible to complete a drug education school to receive this dismissal. A lawyer will be able to appear in court on your behalf and negotiate this without you ever having to go to court. Once the class has been completed and you have received a dismissal, you need to speak with your criminal attorney about obtaining an expunction. If you’re eligible, an expunction will erase all records of you having been charged with the offense. This is very important for teenagers applying to colleges and seeking jobs. If you would like to speak with a criminal attorney concerning an underage drinking ticket in Mecklenburg County, contact Adkins Law. Adkins Law is located in Huntersville, and primarily serves Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and the Lake Norman area. Over the last several years, possession of marijuana has become decriminalized in North Carolina. Many police officers in Charlotte, Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, and the Lake Norman area have been advised to issue citations for possession of marijuana as opposed to making an arrest. Either way, if you are charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana, it may have a serious impact on your life. While you may not be facing time in jail, you may lose your job or be expelled from school. If you have been charged with possession of marijuana in Mecklenburg County, it is highly recommended that you hire a criminal attorney to provide you with legal advice and represent you in court. Often times, especially for first time offenders, a criminal defense attorney is able to negotiate your charge and obtain a dismissal in exchange for you completing a drug education class. After your matter has been resolved, and depending on the outcome of your charge, a criminal lawyer is able to process an expunction for you. An expunction removes all record of the charge from your criminal records. Potential employers and schools won’t have to find out about your marijuana charge. If you have been charged with possession of marijuana in Huntersville NC, or the Charlotte NC area, contact Adkins Law for a free consultation. If we are unable to provide you with the legal advice that you need, we will find you the best criminal lawyer possible and put you in touch with them. Adkins Law PLLC is located in Huntersville NC and primarily serves Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Charlotte, Denver, Mecklenburg County, Iredell County, Gaston County, Cabarrus County, and the Lake Norman area. Attorney Christopher Adkins is a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) police officer who has made hundreds of arrests specifically involving possession of marijuana, has issued several hundred citations specifically for possession of marijuana, and has defended hundreds of clients for marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia. Attorney Christopher Adkins knows exactly how law enforcement officers build their cases against you and exactly how to best defend you. Contact Adkins Law to arrange a consultation with a Huntersville criminal defense attorney, Adkins Law can arrange a consultation with a Huntersville defense attorney for marijuana possession to discuss your options. Drinking and driving is NOT illegal; driving while impaired is. It is almost unavoidable to occasionally have a drink in a social setting and drive home afterwards. Understand, however, that driving while impaired is dangerous and may cause you to lose your license, your job, and your reputation. DO NOT ADMIT TO ANYTHING When you are stopped by the police, often times they will ask you if you have been drinking. Almost everyone tells the officer they have had two drinks. While it is never advisable to outright lie to the police, be careful what you admit to! If you tell the police that you had two drinks, you just admitted to drinking before driving. Try to avoid answering questions such as this if a police officer asks you. Instead, try to change the subject or simply do not answer. You do not have to answer the police! Remember, all you are doing when you tell the officer how much alcohol you have consumed before driving is helping the officer build his case against you. If you really have only had one or two drinks, however, and know you aren't impaired, it is probably advisable to answer the officer. DO NOT TAKE ANY STANDARDIZED FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS (SFSTs) Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) are tests which help an officer determine whether a driver is impaired. These tests do not help you! An officer would not waste his time in administering the tests to you if he did not believe that he could get a potential DWI arrest out of it. When you submit to these tests, unless you really are absolutely sober, all you're doing is providing the police with evidence to use against you in court. Be weary before you submit to any SFSTs, you do not have to submit to them! REQUEST A PRE-ARREST TEST In North Carolina, if you are stopped by the police, you have the right to request a police officer take you to submit to a breath test before you are placed under arrest. This is beneficial because if the officer violates your right to take the pre-arrest test, or doesn't follow procedures concerning the pre-arrest test, you may be able to have your DWI charges dropped. Once you request a pre-arrest test, the police officer is supposed to stop what he is doing and transport you (un-arrested, not in handcuffs) to the nearest breath testing facility. There you will have the option to take a pre-arrest breath test before you are placed under arrest. Realistically, because it is so rarely exercised, very few police officers are familiar with the procedures concerning this right and are more likely to violate your rights. AVOID DRIVING This should be the most obvious piece of advice: if you are too intoxicated to drive, do not drive! If you have any questions as to your sobriety, play it safe and get a ride home with a friend or take a cab. Your life, other people's lives, your liberty, your property, your money, and your privilege to drive is not worth the risk! Be careful, be smart, and make good decisions. Contact Adkins Law to schedule a free DWI consultation with an DWI lawyer, DUI lawyer, DWI attorney, DUI attorney. Adkins Law is located in Huntersville, North Carolina and primarily serves Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Iredell County, Gaston County, Cabarrus County, and the Lake Norman area. |
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