Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Some drug offenses are treated as felonies. Your mother will be in jail until either the bail is reduced, someone posts bail, she is released on her own recognizance, or the case is over.

The best thing that you can do for your mom right now is assist her in making sure she gets an attorney. If she cannot afford an attorney, the court can appoint a public defender to represent her.

The authorities don't believe that your mother was an innocent visitor who didn't know about the drugs. That the drugs weren't on her person or in her truck does not insulate her from being charged.

You haven't given us enough facts to know what the charges are or why she has been charged with a felony. It may be because there was a large quantity of drugs. Perhaps the authorities think your mother was planning to distribute them. There are other possible reasons.

Your mother needs a lawyer immediately. The court will appoint one for her if she can't afford to hire one. Until she gets a lawyer, she should not discuss the facts of her case with anyone -- including you.

Even small amounts of some drugs in some states are considered felonies. She needs a lawyer ASAP.

You'll get your answers about what and why police and prosecutors did things, and charged they way they did, but only when your attorney gets the discovery files in court at your mother's arraignment. Once you have all the pleadings and police reports, then your attorney can determine if there are grounds for evidence suppression or other motions, or defenses to use in the case. Without knowing all those factors, any opinion would be worthless speculation. If serious about hiring counsel to help in this, feel free to contact me. I've been doing these cases for many years.