Well the holidays are over. As much fun as they are, I have to admit it feels good to get them past me. Don’t get me wrong; I love the giving part. But honestly, it can be tough to keep smiling when great-great-grandma apparently believes yodeling is a lost art that must be revived at all costs. Therefore, copies of Yodelling the Classics for everyone! You haven’t really heard Beethoven until you’ve heard it yodeled.

But I digress. I hope you all had a nice, relaxing break. It was pretty quiet around here without you. But you’re back, so let the good times roll and the questions begin!

I was in the backseat of my friend’s car when he got pulled over. He had a bottle of Crown Royal that he left where I was sitting. Even though he told the cops it was his, I still got the ticket for possessing the alcohol. If he goes to court with me, can he take responsibility so I can get out of the ticket?

Well, at least you have a friend willing to take the hit for you. However, even if he could bring up evidence to show the bottle was his, like an admission it was his, a receipt for the Crown in his pocket and a video of him buying the bottle from Steve, the friendly cashier at the local Liquor Barn , while wearing an “I love Crown Royal” T-shirt and reading the book titled, The Dummies Guide to Storing Crown Royal in the Back Seat Where Your Friend is Sitting, it doesn’t change what you were given the ticket for. You got nailed for possession of alcohol. Who bought or owns it doesn’t change that since it was next to you in the back seat. You can plead your case to the court, but it’s pretty likely that you will still be found guilty for possession.

My apartment got a noise ticket after midnight. We shut the music off, but do we have to end the party?

Party on, dude! If you were cited for just the local noise ordinance, then go for it. What the ticket was for was having the music on too loud. People talking, hanging out, sipping the frosty cold one or just playing that rousing game of Chutes and Ladders is still okay.

Now if you get a ticket for disturbing the peace because a neighbor signed a complaint, then silence must reign supreme! When the neighbor signs the complaint, it’s for all of the noise being too loud, not just the music. So when that happens, you’ve got to turn off the stereo, turn down your voices and, as hard as it may be to do, put Candyland away until the next party.

Someone broke into my house while I was sleeping. I woke up and scared him/her off and all that was taken was a bunch of CDs. Is it worth it to call the police?

Yes! Maybe all that was stolen that time was your collection of Michael Bolton Plays Yanni’s Greatest Hits, but chances are the person probably also hit someone else’s apartment, too. Maybe that time they got your neighbor’s laptop with two years worth of grad work on her research project titled “Why people listen to Michael Bolton.” Your calling the police right away might help in catching this crook and getting your neighbor’s property back.

Also, keep in mind that people break into homes for various reasons. Usually it’s just to steal your stuff, but we also have had people do it to commit other crimes, such as sexual assaults or to wreck the place. Regardless of why, they are people we don’t need in our community. By calling the cops right away, we have a better chance of catching the bad guys and making it safer for everyone.

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