Quick question 1st time offense

I've been browsing this site for awhile and I decided to make my first post in here since I just need some advice.

I was driving home a couple days ago when I got pulled over. I Gave him my license and all that then he asked to search my car because my car smelt like marijuana. He didn't find anything in the car except for a little dried up roach clip in the ashtray from a couple days earlier and he gave me a ticket for possession. I was talking to my friends and they said since its my first offense I'm only going to get a fine and it will be off my record and everything. I'm located in New York and I know its decriminalized so I don't think I'll get to much.

I just want to get a straight answer from someone who actually knows about this stuff.

Thanks, Illadelph123

I'm not booked up on New York law at all (I'm in Texas and am an inactive, non-practicing member of the bar here), but if NY has decriminalized weed, your friends in this case are likely right. You'll simply make your plea--guilty or no contest--on the ticket and pay the required fee on your court date or through the mail. That'll be the end of any punishment. It won't be off your record, though. You will have a misdemeanor possession offense on your record, the legal equivalent of a speeding ticket, essentially, and unless there's some automatic expungement process, which would surprise the heck out of me if it existed, that misdemeanor offense will stay visible on your record for a period of years. In most states, a class C misdemeanor stays visible for 3 years on your public safety/driving record. I'd say "criminal record" except that it's not a criminal record in a decriminalized state for small quantities of cannabis.

Here's the big caveat, though. While you have that misdemeanor offense active on your record, you'll want to be very careful about any subsequent tickets, moving violations, or any other type of misdemeanor offenses. In other words, don't get another ticket. A second similar offense will likely involve higher fines and could put your driver's license at risk. This first offense, since you're a young male, will likely send your already-exorbitant car insurance premiums up even higher if it doesn't get you dropped by your insurance carrier entirely. A second offense will most definitely get you dropped and might make it darn near impossible to find coverage elsewhere, too. So be careful, OK? It's impossible to be too discreet or safe when it comes to cannabis. Driving with the stuff in your car, even in tiny leftover roach amounts, means you've still got to work harder on the art of discretion.

If you have no record you are fine, I got caught with weed and a big ass sherlock pipe, and all they did was take it and give me a ticket, I went to court and had to do like 3 days community service and pay $120, but I was more pissed about my bowl and weed than that, Im in OHIO, your fine dont worry about it, it shouldnt even be on your record.

thanks for the help, its really appreciated

Look up the laws in the New York State government website.