Minor In Possession Laws

Okay, so I'm very curious.

About 3 weeks ago I had a 6 pack in my car, covered up, and my mom went through my car the next morning and miraculously found it. She then went on to contact my girlfriends dad, who had nothing to do with this, and tell him about the situation, which is fucking retarded. He then told my girlfriend that we were done forever, and just a bunch of shit talk. Anyway, my question out of all of this is what would happen if a cop just happened to find that I had possession of a 6 pack in my car? Does it depend on the amount? Where I live?

I live in Ohio btw.

Edit: I found on OSU's site that the maximum sentence for an unopened container is 6 months in jail and a fine up to $1000. sometimes both, sometimes not, it depends. So honestly how bad would it be for a 6 pack? they are blowing this out of the water.

 

How old are you?

 

I'm 18

 

Is the car in your name? I'm pretty sure nothing would happen over a 6 pack just sitting in your car, unopened. You can plead the fifth if something were to arise, which I highly doubt would over something so irrelevant and trivial.

 

No, it's in my fathers name. I don't think something would happen either, but it's very annoying how they treat it as if I had 5 cases and 10 bottles of liquor in my car sitting out for anyone to see.

 

In Texas, they can give you a ticket even if it's unopened if your a minor.

 

Yeah, I realize I would probably get a ticket, but how severe could it honestly be..? for a damn 6 pack lol

 

It will most likely be a fine, but depending on the judge and sentencing standards for your state it could be more or less. You'll probably get probation over jail time, as jail time is fairly unlikely if I had to opine on the matter.

 

Does anyone know a site where you can see these laws then?

 

Do you have the citation handy? There should be a law code section number that will lead you to it. It will have a weird looking symbol in it that looks like two S put together. Type that in google and your state name and it should give you the exact statute. Copy and paste it here and I can give you and ideal of what it says. Again, as for sentencing it all depends on the judge and the standards in Ohio. It could range from a small fine to the max amount if jail time and the fine. I highly doubt the latter.

 

I don't have a citation. This is all hypothetical. I never got caught and probably wouldn't ever. What I'm asking is if I was caught, as an 18 year old in Ohio, with a 6 pack of beer, what would I receive as punishment? A ticket? Because my parents as well as her's make it out to be extremely dangerous as if i would be going to prison for years which is just making me laugh.

 

I found that it would become a first-degree misdemeanor, which has a maximum of 180 days in jail and/or a $1000 fine, depending on the amount and so on. So what I'm asking in your opinion is what would be the punishment for a damn 6 pack of beer?

 

Again it is impossible to say as there are the two variables I have mentioned twice: sentencing guidelines/standards and the judge personally. I'd have to go into a legal database and find two or three cases with similar fact sets and read the sentencing and the opinions. I don't got that kind of time

 

If it is sitting in your car and it's covered, then you have nothing to worry about as long as you don't consent to searches IF you are stopped by a cop. Legally, you can plead the 4th and they cannot do anything even if they can see it in your car.

 

in canada its fine. dont see what the fuss is if its just in your car.

 

I grew up in Ohio. If you were pulled over and a cop saw the 6-pack in the back seat, the worst that would happen is you'd get in trouble for underage possession of alcohol. If it doesn't look like it's yours, they probably would even bother citing you, but would warn you about it in the future. If you did get in trouble, you would probably have something like a $50 fine and 20 hours of community service.

Also, since it was covered, basically the only way a cop would find it is if you let them.

 

Exactly. Except you can't let him search the car because it is in your fathers name. But to avoid him even maybe seeing it. Keep all illegals in the trunk and locked! Be smarter than the cop so you wont get in to trouble.

 

Lol'd.. yeah your going to prison for an unopened 6pack in your car. Lmao
(Sorry don't give me an infraction. I just simply thought that was funny.)

 

You can still consent to a search of someone else's car if you're the one driving it. There's no way you'd get evidence from a search you consented to while driving the car alone thrown out on the basis on the car not being yours.

Alternatively, don't keep illegal things in the car.

In the future, you can edit your post instead of making a second one.

 

I didn't read the full thread, but here is some advise.

I could tell a cop I had a bag of meth, but if he never found it then he would have no evidence and no ability to charge me. But that is screwed up that your mom and gf's dad are acting this way. A teenager is going to experiment. No offense, but I can see why you wanted to cop a buzz.

EDIT: I just want to further elaborate. Assuming you live in the US (or most other democratic countries), then a cop must find it ON YOUR PERSON (on you, in your car, in your room, etc), and even then, most cops are alcoholics and he would probably just confiscate it and not charge you so that he could keep it for his self. Trust me, I've been to court for posession of several things over the years, including felonious substances.