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 Family Stone, The (2005)
IMDB rating: 6.30
Plot: The Stone family unites in common cause when their favorite son brings his uptight girlfriend home for the Christmas holiday, with plans of proposing. Overwhelmed by the hostile reception, she begs her sister to join her for emotional support, triggering further complications.
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Available versions:
DivX Version (Normal Quality), iPod/iPhone Version
Directors: Bezucha Thomas
Actors: Mulroney Dermot,Nelson Craig T.,Wilson Luke,Giordano Tyrone,White Brian J.,Schneider Paul,Kaler Jamie,Dioguardi Robert,Comedy,Drama,Romance,
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Son has to go to court for throwing snowballs and stones at a STOP sign….?
He is thirteen, has never had a problem with the police, is a good student and made a stupid mistake by using a STOP sign as a target. I remember doing stupid things like this when I was his age and I don’t think he understood at the time that what he was doing would be considered a third degree misdemeanor. I spoke with the officer the day it happened and I assured him that I would take care of it. Eight months later we get a letter in the mail telling us that our son should be in a juvenile program for troubled youth. It was a program that would require him to do community service. My husband and I choose not to participate because we didn’t think what he did was serious enough and had handled the situation with our son. A couple months later we are being called to court! We don’t have money to hire an attorney and went downtown to legal aid but I am wondering if there isn’t more that I could do? I don’t want this on his record…he is a good kid that made a stupid mistake. He did admit to the officer that he threw snowballs and stones. In court, should he plead no contest? Please, any legal advice would be greatly appreciated!!! I also want to add that it is suspected that a neighbor who has called the police on us before over petty things is the person who made the police report. We are a biracial couple and think that might have something to do with our neighbors dislike for our family. Again, we cannot hire an attorney, what are our options?
Your big mistake was ignoring a court summons. You should never ignore such things. He would have had to have said "sorry" and that would have probably been the end of it. Whether the neighbor is a racist is not the issue. You need to beg or borrow money to get a lawyer. And tell him to never admit anything without you being present.
MadMan | Nov 21, 2009
Your record gets wiped clean at 18 I’m pretty sure.
Ilya | Nov 21, 2009
I think a 13 year old understands what they are doing. Common sense would tell him that stop signs are there for a reason and obstructing one is bad.
He may not have known ‘third degree misdemeanor’ but if he has half a brain hed understand the stupidity of it.
If you cant afford an attorney they give you one. Its the law. Have you never heard what police have to say as they arrest someone. Its on alot of tv shows. But its true.
peanut 2 | Nov 21, 2009
What a ridiculous, scared little country this has become. Next they’ll arrest kids for walking funny. Work with legal aid–and look into suing the neighbor. Call around, a lot, and you might just get an attorney who’s interested.
Boko's Back | Nov 21, 2009
First, don’t freak out.
Remember, this is juvenile court, not adult court.
We can’t decide for ourselves whether we are going to comply with a court order. It’s the law. So, go ahead to court. Your son will be assigned a defense attorney; you don’t need to buy one if you can’t afford it.
Explain the situation to the judge. Respectfully. Let your son testify truthfully to what he did. If the judge orders any community service or other action, have him do it. Let him take responsibility before the law. If he cooperates, he will be out of trouble in a short time. It will not be on his permanent record.
By resisting the court’s procedure, you are making things harder on yourselves and on your son. You are teaching him not to respect law enforcement or the courts; that’s a bad message. He may need the help of the police or the court system some day. It’s not good to think of them as enemies.
As for the neighbors calling the police, if you were breaking the law, I guess you just have to be more careful. If you weren’t, then the police should soon catch on as to what is happening.
Bad neighbors can be a pain.
The First Dragon | Nov 21, 2009
go to court. Plead guilty. His guilt is not in question since he admitted it.
Explain your son is a good student and has never been in trouble. You can say you THOUGHT the paper you were sent was only a recommendation not an order.
Explain that sending your son to such a program would expose him to "troublesome children" and you disapprove of exposing you son to such situations.
Offer instead to have him do community service somewhere…perhaps a shelter, a library, a fire station etc.
Before court have your child write an apology letter for "throwing snowballs"
I wouldn’t admit to the stones…just the snowballs unless specifically asked.
Honestly this is SOOOO stupid. I can’t believe someone really called the cops! What ever the judge ordered do it.
You don’t need a lawyer, but you DO need to speak up and let the judge know your child is NOT a delinquent and sending him to a program for delinquents is not in his best interest.
*another nickname* 
| Nov 21, 2009
^
l
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Ditto
Creepy Man2 | Nov 21, 2009
Had you not said "snow" I would have been sure you live in New Orleans. Highest murder rate in the US and the police boost their conviction rates with stupid crap like this. But you said the letter said "should" right? Was he even given a ticket? It doesn’t matter if your son said he did it if he wasn’t read his rights. I would go with legal aid or without just to see if Officer Moron shows up. (He won’t.) A judge who entertains this will be a judge on Headline News. Unbelievable.
Louisa | Nov 21, 2009
Get a court-appointed attorney. Unfortunately, having a cornhole neighbor isn’t going to convince the court of anything, and it will sound like you are making excuses for your son rather than making him face the consequences of his actions. I agree the charges are a bit ridiculous if he didn’t damage the sign, but he did break the law and you will all need to deal with it. In family courts, there are a handful of prosecutors and public defenders that all work together on just juvenile cases. His attorney will be able to tell you quite quickly what the best course of action is. The crime is small, he’s a first offender, and basically a good kid…the consequences will probably not be huge. Whatever happens, I *highly* doubt that this will appear on a background check when he is 18. It sucks, but all you can do is use it as a learning experience for your son…who I’m guessing doesn’t have a life of crime ahead of him.
bedfordczarina | Nov 21, 2009
Hello, I believe legal counsel would be helpful to represent you. If you need assistance I can help point you in the right direction with other options just send me an email. Sometimes public defenders and legal aid don’t look out for your best interest.Take Care
legalmom | Nov 21, 2009
Your "Options" have Little to with You, & MUCH to do with Him. The Law states that he was damaging Public Property- and the "sentence" for such Behavior is usually a $50- $100 Fine, -and (or) a Spell of Community Service- PER Count. An "Unfair" sentence for a 13 year old doing something "stupid" ? -Probably. But this is "Life", -& unfairness & stupidity in It go "hand in hand…" And even if you COULD afford a Lawyer, his "fees" would easily cost you from $500-$1,000 and UP…-to MAYBE avoid a $50 fine or some Community Service… Your Son is NOT going to be "damaged" for Life by this Incident. He’ll be considered a Juvenile, and if he doesn’t have any more problems with the cops- his "Record" will be expunged (wiped clean) when He turns 21. So let Him do his Community Service- and get ON with His (and Your) life… I promise You, he’ll have BIGGER problems than THIS in his Life…-so save your concern for the ones worth your Trouble…
Joseph the Second | Nov 21, 2009
First of all, unless there is proof that the neighbor called and tried to cause trouble, don’t open that can of worms. If he did, and filed a false police report, he will have to answer for it. If he didn’t, the bad blood dragging him into this will create is NOT something you want.
Secondly, I agree that this does seem a bit excessive. However, consider what could have happened if a car had come through the intersection and a rock had hit it. What if it had been a bicyclist? Somebody walking? Basically, be glad that he’s getting a slap on the wrist and not a lawsuit.
Thirdly, it sounds as though there was a court order for him to do community service. You should have called to clarify. Ignoring something from city hall or the police is always a bad idea.
Since your son is a minor, you will be at least partly responsible for paying his ticket. Talk to legal aid and see what your best bet is.
In court, you can explain that you did not understand the officer or the order. It might convince the judge, it might not. Do not mention the neighbor. Be sure that you understand what is going on in court. Is he being charged? With what? What are the consequences. Find this out BEFORE you appear in court.
Julia S | Nov 22, 2009
Roberto Merrill