Question:
Originally Posted by lizbud
Significant other.

thank you!

I should have figured that one out!!!

Thanks for the help.

I still think you should do something, write a letter like someone suggested, or just make a call. The first step is always the hardest.

If YOU know you did something about this (alert the police) then YOU can sleep better at night, even if they choose not to do anything about this.

Maybe they already know and are building their case - I mean come on, selling at work and not getting caught?!!! Call his boss!!!!! They can't be all that stupid, can they?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Answer:
Originally Posted by Twisterdog
Yes, it seems that way to me, too. My son was by no means a threat to anyone but himself. He was not dealing or selling anything. He was experimenting. Of course that does not make it legal or right. But everyday I read our local paper and people caugt cooking, using and selling meth get 90 days of probation and a suspended nominal fine. I truly do not understand. Something is very wrong with the system.

Was this his first offence ???? I know that question sounds silly, cos he's only fourteen....but still sometimes it isn't at that age.
If it was his first offence, and the fact that this boy is still a minor....was there no way that you could intervene ??? Like perhaps an appeal against such a harsh sentence ????
I just find this matter so disturbing, that the so called law can do this to a minor for just trying a bit of pot. It's so beyond me how these people think.
Wombat


Answer:
Anxiously waiting for an uppydate. Anything new on this situation?


Answer:
Sorry there hasn't been an update. We are still waiting for more information before we proceed. Our family member is completely in love with their SO and we have to be absolutely certain the information is correct before we go to the police. We decided to let the authorities handle this situation but we want to be 100% certain the information we tell them is accurate.
Twisterdog, how awful for your family to experience this. Many prayers for your son and your family. {{{{{Hugs}}}}} for you.


Answer:
Thanks. Sounds like the best way to handle it. I hope it all works out the right way for everybody


Answer:
Originally Posted by wombat2u2004
Was this his first offence ???? I know that question sounds silly, cos he's only fourteen....but still sometimes it isn't at that age.
If it was his first offence, and the fact that this boy is still a minor....was there no way that you could intervene ??? Like perhaps an appeal against such a harsh sentence ????
I just find this matter so disturbing, that the so called law can do this to a minor for just trying a bit of pot. It's so beyond me how these people think.
Wombat
Yes, it was his first offense. It was his first offense for ANYthing, actually. He was in school, and had no prior record whatsoever. He had never been in court, never been on probabtion, etc.
Yes, I could have fought it. I called a lot of lawyers for information. I would have gotten a lawyer and fought it from the beginning, but I had no idea I would need one. From everything that everyone had told me, I had nothing to worry about. I heard about a hundred times that the judge would lecture him, give him probabtion and some work restitution to pay off his fine. That was fine with me, I wanted him punished ... just not to the degree he was!
After the sentencing, I started calling lawyers. They told me they would take the case, but by the time we got a trial date in our vastly meth-case-clogged system, chances are he would have served the entire sentence anyway. They also told me she is a moody, vengeful judge, and if I fought it and my son ever had to appear before her again, that he would be pretty much dead in the water. They said she holds a grudge and never forgets.
They also said that the sentence she gave him was within the limits of state law, and even though most of the time the judge does not go for the harshest possible sentence on the first offense ... that they certainly can do it if they choose to.


Answer:
Originally Posted by Twisterdog
Yes, it was his first offense. It was his first offense for ANYthing, actually. He was in school, and had no prior record whatsoever. He had never been in court, never been on probabtion, etc.
Yes, I could have fought it. I called a lot of lawyers for information. I would have gotten a lawyer and fought it from the beginning, but I had no idea I would need one. From everything that everyone had told me, I had nothing to worry about. I heard about a hundred times that the judge would lecture him, give him probabtion and some work restitution to pay off his fine. That was fine with me, I wanted him punished ... just not to the degree he was!
After the sentencing, I started calling lawyers. They told me they would take the case, but by the time we got a trial date in our vastly meth-case-clogged system, chances are he would have served the entire sentence anyway. They also told me she is a moody, vengeful judge, and if I fought it and my son ever had to appear before her again, that he would be pretty much dead in the water. They said she holds a grudge and never forgets.
They also said that the sentence she gave him was within the limits of state law, and even though most of the time the judge does not go for the harshest possible sentence on the first offense ... that they certainly can do it if they choose to.
Hmmmmmmm....yes, we have some judges like that here to.
Well anyway....I just think that's so harsh a sentence for a minor. I hope he comes out of this ok for you. He will certainly learn a lesson from it, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will benefit him in the long run. Not that he needs this, but seeing that he has to put in the time, hopefully he can get something out of it.
Wom


Answer:
I still think the sentence was out of line for a first offense. It's a shame
you didn't know anything about that particular judge, or you could have been
advised to retain an attorney before his first court appointment.
As a parent, it's hard enough to convince our children that there is justice
in this world sometimes ,when we don't see it ourselves.