Legal Question in Criminal Law in Florida

Hi,I am a 19 year old college student at Ucf. Over the summer I went to Michigan where I was arrested for possession of marijuana. I chose to represent my self and I pleaded guilty because I couldnt afford a lawyer and I had no way of getting the $50 fee for the court appointed one. When I was sentenced, i was sentenced under the Michigan act 7411. Since I have no previous record or have ever been in trouble. My probation terms were community service, a $100 fine payment the first of every month and a drug assessment to be done within 4 weeks. The problem is that I am unemployed and have been looking for jobs in the orlando area. I have no income whatsoever, and this will be the first year, I have to pay for my own rent and food. My parents are going to pay for the first months rent of my new apartment and for food, so I would have a Month to get on my feet and find a job to take on my new responsibilities. I am two payments behind on my probation. I went to ucf because they offer a drug assessment service, and was informed that it was $75, again a problem for me because I still dont have income. They also informed me I had to be enrolled so I would have to wait until fall semester. I asked about other places that I could go and get the assessment done and they told me they charged even more.

My probation officer from the start has not been very helpful, I tried to explain that I was very new to all of this and that I am completely on my own financially. He was very rude not letting me explain, cutting me off telling me that its not the courts problem and that he was going to issue a warrant for my arrest if I didnt send the $100 and get the assessment done. As I began to panic he told me to shut up and tell me again it wasnt the courts problem and hung up.

I then tried to go donate plasma in an effort to get money for the fines and was denied because of low iron levels. Now I just received a letter in the mail for a court summons later this month in Michigan. For not paying the fine and not doing the assessment.

My questions are:

1. Do I physically have to be in Michigan for this summons? I live in Florida and have no way of getting there.

2. Is there anyway I can fight this?

I am 19 trying to get started with my life and I know I'm not like the regular flow of people this probation officer deals with on the daily. I have never been in trouble before and am trying to get this done and over with as soon as I can. I just cant until I land a job.

Thank you for your time and concern and sorry for the novel I wrote.


Asked on 8/05/13, 5:29 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Craig Epifanio Craig Epifanio, P.A.

You need to talk to a Michigan attorney. You may be doing your probation in FL, but this is purely a Michigan issue and therefore, only they can help you. If you are summoned you must appear in court or else face the consequences. Since it appears you can't afford an attorney, call the public defender's office in the county where this happened.

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Answered on 8/05/13, 8:30 pm


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