Legal advice needed

[JackSpearo]

I know that some of you may not be lawyers, but perhaps you know someone or have been in my situation, so all I'm asking for is advice...(that's my disclaimer ;-))

when I was 17 I was accused of throwing an egg at a car...I had to go downtown and everything, where they took my driver's license number and then I had a court date...

I showed up to court and the judge asked me how did I plea, I manned up and said guilty...that's when he asked the opposing party to come forward (the charges were damage to personal property) they were seeking money...

however, they didn't come forward...immediately I could have kicked myself in the butt, because I knew then if I would have said not guilty, it would have been dismissed...

so after that court date, I get another letter in the mail, the opposing party called in to reschedule... On the 2nd trial, the same thing happened....yet again, i got a letter in the mail...so on the 3rd time I got a police officer that was there that night, and he testified that there was absolutely no damage done to their car and that I was very apologetic, etc etc.

the judge gave me something in North Carolina called a prayer for judgment...he told me if i was good in 3 years, it could come off, but if i did something bad again, i would be punished for it...(normally prayer for judgments are given to traffic violators) and since this was my first offense and he knew i was going to college, he took it easy on me...

so now I am 24 years old, and I'm actually applying to law schools...and they ask, have you ever been convicted of a crime, etc etc.

I have no idea what to check, I have spoken with admissions offices and they are confused too!

so this morning i called the district attorney in the city in NC...she told me she was also confused, because there was not a guilty verdict (although I did plead guilty, the judge didn't accept it and gave me the PJC) and she suggested getting it expunged...

well I told her why should I get it expunged, because the law applications require you to tell that also! so what is the point of hiding that and paying that money if i have to disclose it anyways!?

then she recommended getting it dismissed...altogether...

how does this look? if someone does a background check on me, and sees I have had something against me dismissed...???

does it look better than getting something expunged?

I've decided to own up in my law applications, and just explain it really well...I was a stupid punk teenager, who got caught (wasn't my fault I got caught though!)

anyways, I've learned my lesson

thanks

Jack

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Don't they seal your juvenile records once you turn 18? I have no clue but that's what I had always heard. Unless of course you committed murder or some other serious crime.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[cerich]

tell the truth, write a letter attach to application.

 

[fairybasslet]

Prayer for judgement? Are you sure that's the correct term? My son got into some mischief and he and his friends were give a POA, that stood for Period of Adjustment. They had to stay out of trouble for 6 months and then the charges were dismissed. The judge said there would be no record. It wasn't "probation" where they had to report. They just had to stop doing dumbass things that teens like to do.
Since you weren't "convicted" I would say "no" and that is a perfectly honest answer. (of course, I'm not a lawyer. I'm just going by what the judge told us in our case.)

 

[JackSpearo]

yea North Carolina is weird, it's called a Prayer for Judgment (JPC (the C stands for continuation))

prayer-other word for request

request for judgment...

I've been accepted to a law school in Michigan, but they're gonna be pissed when they find out I "lied" on my application...which is BS...because I know I didn't lie...how can I lie if I don't even know the truth?

 

[cerich]

yea North Carolina is weird, it's called a Prayer for Judgment (JPC (the C stands for continuation))

prayer-other word for request

request for judgment...

I've been accepted to a law school in Michigan, but they're gonna be pissed when they find out I "lied" on my application...which is BS...because I know I didn't lie...how can I lie if I don't even know the truth?

Slightly different story than want to apply and got accepted.

Write them a letter, explain that at the time you understood it wasn't a conviction but now you aren't so sure.

I'm sure they are human and understand throwing eggs, now if you shot a gun at a car it would be different....

Man up in short.

 

[SparticleBrane]

They used your PJ for throwing an egg at a car??!
Man, you've gotta save those for when you run somebody over.

 

[pilot fish]

Jack, cut yourself some slack. Throwing an egg at a car that caused no harm or damage is no more important than a kid.......... well, throwing an egg at a car. You were not found guilty, even though you pleaded guilty. It was not adjuicated.

Forget this and do not put it down on your application to law school.There are so many things in life that are important, people dying every day from terrorists and real horrible crimes. This is nothing. non gravis

Good luck.

 

[JackSpearo]

yea but the law school in Michigan is pretty ticked I "lied" on my app....I think it's all a bunch of BS...who cares what one did, unless it's a felony, when you are under 18?

I'll keep yall updated, thanks for the advice

Jack

 

[ShakaZulu]

Not true, I was egged once from an overpass on a highway. It was at night, and when I turned on my wipers, my entire windscreen went white. I could not see out of it. Even though no damage was done, I could have caused an accident and crashed my car. It's sometimes a good thing thing to THINK about the resultant outcome of your actions. I hope you do have to burn in hell for a bit....at least others would learn from your experience.