Betsyboo55379
11-24-2003, 02:16 PM
Can anyone tell me how the courts are reacting to Marijuana charges these days in Iowa?
My daughter and her girlfriend/roommate were having a party, must've gotten a little loud because the Urbandale Cops came out. I guess there was someone at the party that had a warrant out and when they found this out, they decided they wanted to search the apartment. Since the girls weren't cooperating they told them they would leave an officer at the apartment while they went and got a judge to sign off for a search warrant. That was all it took, the girls signed permission for them to come in and search.
In one room they found half oz of marijuana and the other half was found in my daughters purse. Both girls where taken to the station and booked for Schedule 1 Possession of a Controlled Substance. This was Friday night. They have seen a judge so I'm assuming that was Saturday morning. They were asked if they needed a public defender and both girls decided they probably didn't need an attorney. Both girls are under 20. My daughter has a previous marijuana charge in the state of MN however she was a minor at the time. Her girlfriend about 9 months ago received the same charge Schedule 1 in Iowa however she was a minor at the time as well. Both girls completed and were release from probation. I see this charge is 6 months incarceration along with a $1,000. fine. AS long as it is a first offense. Would this be considered a first offense? The girls were to go and apply for a public defender. I believe they need to be represented. I can't believe the judge didn't impress upon them the importance of a lawyer to represent them. I am also wondering why their next court appearances would be scheduled so far apart. One appears on the 3rd of December and the other not until the 23rd. Has anyone experienced this time of crime in the Iowa courts? If so what was the out come?
My daughter and her girlfriend/roommate were having a party, must've gotten a little loud because the Urbandale Cops came out. I guess there was someone at the party that had a warrant out and when they found this out, they decided they wanted to search the apartment. Since the girls weren't cooperating they told them they would leave an officer at the apartment while they went and got a judge to sign off for a search warrant. That was all it took, the girls signed permission for them to come in and search.
In one room they found half oz of marijuana and the other half was found in my daughters purse. Both girls where taken to the station and booked for Schedule 1 Possession of a Controlled Substance. This was Friday night. They have seen a judge so I'm assuming that was Saturday morning. They were asked if they needed a public defender and both girls decided they probably didn't need an attorney. Both girls are under 20. My daughter has a previous marijuana charge in the state of MN however she was a minor at the time. Her girlfriend about 9 months ago received the same charge Schedule 1 in Iowa however she was a minor at the time as well. Both girls completed and were release from probation. I see this charge is 6 months incarceration along with a $1,000. fine. AS long as it is a first offense. Would this be considered a first offense? The girls were to go and apply for a public defender. I believe they need to be represented. I can't believe the judge didn't impress upon them the importance of a lawyer to represent them. I am also wondering why their next court appearances would be scheduled so far apart. One appears on the 3rd of December and the other not until the 23rd. Has anyone experienced this time of crime in the Iowa courts? If so what was the out come?