QUESTION:
My 2 friends and I were in an empty parking lot drinking before heading to a college soccer game. I am 22, and my friends are 20 and 21. The 20 year old was not drinking because he was driving. We were sharing a bottle in the back of a sprinter van that has no windows and is insured as an RV. The van was off and it began to get warm, so we cracked the van door open a bit to get some air. Police came and we were very compliant as they emptied our bottles, and they issued me and my 21 year old friend open container tickets, which are a whopping $560 each! We are college students and, of course, struggling with money. We have no prior issues with the law. Is there any way to get out of this mess, or get the ticket reduced if we appear to court? Thanks in advance.
ANSWER:
Hiring an attorney for this case will probably be cost-prohibitive. I suggest setting the matter for a hearing. If it was SLOPD or Cal Poly PD that issued the ticket, there is a decent chance they will no-show the hearing and the case will be dismissed.
