Do I have a case?

[Cyhart]

This sounds like wonderful advice. Sounds like advice from a 15-year-old.

Law does not equal morality, but it flows from it. Just because you think you're old enough to do something that is illegal for you doesn't mean what you do is right.

By the way, if you are old enough to vote, Ron Paul would appreciate your kind of libertarian crap at the straw poll. Hippie.

By the way, Im thinking about eating some trans fat for supper and turning my AC way down. You gonna be ok with that? I might also turn on some incandescent lights.

 

[CyBer]

[/B]
This is extremely untrue.

Agree, also I hate officer Spoon.

I asked him where his partner fork was and didn't even get a giggle out of him. I did hear he got beat up by some high school wrestler earlier this year. That kind of made me laugh.

 

[IcSyU]

False, in most cases they are generally forgiving. I've been hammered countless times with friends or by myself walking back to my apartment in the campustown area, of which I walk by there stake out place behind the fire station, and have yet to be arrested, and there have been nights were I easily could have been.

Although not the smartest ideas some nights, but being smart and walking straight-ish, and not causing a scene will hardly get you noticed by the cops.

You don't even have to be walking straight. I've carried people down Welch and as long as we weren't causing a scene officers wouldn't get on us about it. Keep your mouth shut and stay civil and most of the time you'll be perfectly fine. Draw attention to yourself being a jack *** and you probably deserve whatever you get. In this case, the public intox is deserved for being an idiot. You were drunk in public and for some reason thought it'd be a good idea to talk to a police officer. That's asking to be arrested.

 

[jaretac]

Was this in Ames?

I'm thinking if you were cooperating with an investigation, despite your drinking that

A) There is something else that happened you aren't telling
B) You met a total **** for a cop

The cops in Ames are pretty good about public intox. Seem to let you go as long as your not causing trouble or making a scene.

There is no legal limit for public intox, the balance is whether you are a public hazard. Now with being under age, it is thought that you are a public hazard after drinking regardless of what your doing. If they can show that you were intoxicated, usually that is enough to say that someone underage was a hazard.

If you are of age the officer has to show that you were a danger to yourself or someone else. Even with this, though they can be picky. Things like jaywalking can be enough. Vomiting, you could have alcohol poising not to mention creating a bio hazard. Even losing your balance (doesn't matter if alcohol related) can be used if they find you have a BAC level above normal.

Some of these could be fought if your BAC is low enough, you can cast reasonable doubt that the stumbling was caused by alcohol and not a uneven sidewalk; however, to what point and propose? You pay a lot in lawyer fees for something you can have expunged in a few years.

Last, pleading guilty over not guilty does not guarantee anything, but usually things go better if you are cooperation, especially if your nose is clean in other areas. Just for the record I worked for ISU police for a while and sent my share of public intox's and DUI's to jail.

Edit- as IcSyU says above, normally the police go after people who are by themselves quicker than if you have people with you. Now if everyone in the group is drunk and unable to help each other that goes out the window.

 

[twistedredbird]

1. talk to an attorney (it will not cost you thousands for a retainer); most will talk to you initially for free.
2. talk to an attorney that knows the judge(s) in that county. Best bet, talk to an attorney in that county.
3. don't do anything until you talk to an attorney? Understand? $1000 in legal fees now can save you many more $1000s later. Get in a car accident, and your insurance can pull your record, and your car insurance rates could skyrocket. Not to mention, many recruiters/employers do background checks now, and the last thing you need is a history of drug/booze related charges on your record.

For all you high and mighties out there, I drank when I was a teenager, we all did. We all had huge drinking parties in the 80s and 90s. There is just no tolerance for it now. So don't pretend like you haven't done, or didn't do something similar.

Used to be a cop would pull you over and pour your beer out, and tell you to go home. Not the case anymore.

 

[CyBer]

1. talk to an attorney (it will not cost you thousands for a retainer); most will talk to you initially for free.
2. talk to an attorney that knows the judge(s) in that county. Best bet, talk to an attorney in that county.
3. don't do anything until you talk to an attorney? Understand? $1000 in legal fees now can save you many more $1000s later. Get in a car accident, and your insurance can pull your record, and your car insurance rates could skyrocket. Not to mention, many recruiters/employers do background checks now, and the last thing you need is a history of drug/booze related charges on your record.

For all you high and mighties out there, I drank when I was a teenager, we all did. We all had huge drinking parties in the 80s and 90s. There is just no tolerance for it now. So don't pretend like you haven't done, or didn't do something similar.

Used to be a cop would pull you over and pour your beer out, and tell you to go home. Not the case anymore.

He wasn't driving.

 

[Plo]

Who are you to decide what is right for someone else??

Who are you to decide that I can't?

If there is no such thing as right and wrong, and if we all can do whatever we want, then if I want to tell you what is right for you, I can.

See, that's the problem with post-modern logic. It isn't logical at all.

 

[jahfg]

Agree, also I hate officer Spoon.

I asked him where his partner fork was and didn't even get a giggle out of him. I did hear he got beat up by some high school wrestler earlier this year. That kind of made me laugh.

Yea, I can't figure out why he wouldn't at least crack a smile. Not only is it incredibly clever, but probably something he's never heard before.

 

[CyBer]

Did I mention that I had a public intox? I probably thought that was clever.

 

[Cytom5]

This country is in massive debt. Any little bit helps. Im kidding btw

 

[Gnomeborg]

Your post proves to me that you don't even have a sense of Post-Conventional Morality... You think law flows from morality? Actually, go back to your dream and keep thinking that buddy.

Laws create societal morality. Some of the most influential people on this planet went against law and changed history for the better. Your thought process is that of a sheep, just following societal norms. Grow a brain and think for yourself. Was slavery "moral?" Yes, it was. But rational minded people changed that.

awwww, someone's taking an ethics course. It's kinda cute.

 

[Me State]

For all you high and mighties out there, I drank when I was a teenager, we all did. We all had huge drinking parties in the 80s and 90s. There is just no tolerance for it now. So don't pretend like you haven't done, or didn't do something similar.

I didn't drink in high school and I don't even drink now as an adult. I have no desire too. My choice.

Not everyone does it.

 

[jaretac]

1. talk to an attorney (it will not cost you thousands for a retainer); most will talk to you initially for free.
2. talk to an attorney that knows the judge(s) in that county. Best bet, talk to an attorney in that county.
3. don't do anything until you talk to an attorney? Understand? $1000 in legal fees now can save you many more $1000s later. Get in a car accident, and your insurance can pull your record, and your car insurance rates could skyrocket. Not to mention, many recruiters/employers do background checks now, and the last thing you need is a history of drug/booze related charges on your record.

For all you high and mighties out there, I drank when I was a teenager, we all did. We all had huge drinking parties in the 80s and 90s. There is just no tolerance for it now. So don't pretend like you haven't done, or didn't do something similar.

Used to be a cop would pull you over and pour your beer out, and tell you to go home. Not the case anymore.

I'm glad that isn't the case anymore. Too many innocent people are getting killed by drunk drivers. Everyone is gong on about distracted drivers, still far more are killed by drunk drivers. People have a right to drink, people don't have the right to endanger others and those who do should face consequences.

PS- I'm another one of those high and mighties that didn't drink in HS and still doesn't drink. The only alcohol I've ever drank was a little wine by mistake when I was about 23. I hated it, but that is a personal choice. I don't have anything against people who drink, but those who endanger others by their drinking I do have a problem with.

 

[cycfan1]

I'm glad that isn't the case anymore. Too many innocent people are getting killed by drunk drivers. Everyone is gong on about distracted drivers, still far more are killed by drunk drivers. People have a right to drink, people don't have the right to endanger others and those who do should face consequences.

PS- I'm another one of those high and mighties that didn't drink in HS and still doesn't drink. The only alcohol I've ever drank was a little wine by mistake when I was about 23. I hated it, but that is a personal choice. I don't have anything against people who drink, but those who endanger others by their drinking I do have a problem with.

Not trying to make an argument here, but I'm willing to bet most drive safer between the .08 and .15 range, than people do while texting. Despite your reactions being slower, you are alert and pay attention to the road after a few drinks, despite teens looking at cell phones who aren't even looking at the road.

Wish there were different penalties for a .08 than a .2, because there are different levels of danger out there. Yet if you take one more sip than someone who blows a .07, you have the same charge as someone who is swerving between lanes at a .25 BAC.

 

[CloneIce]

If you join the military you can drink legally on base (beer and wine coolers) when you are 18.

Something just seems wrong about the image of a squad of Marines sitting around on base drinking wine coolers.

 

[CYphyllis]

Always love these threads, makes it very easy to pick out who I could stand to be around and who I couldn't handle for 5 minutes.