Friends are supposed to be there to help, but then there are times when they seem to do the opposite. If a friend rode in your vehicle with marijuana in their possession without your consent and you're pulled over, you'd have a chance to see just how unhelpful they would be. Learn what you should know about being pulled over with marijuana in the vehicle. 

Honesty

Your friend's willingness to be honest and forthcoming is extremely important in this type of scenario. If at the time of the arrest, your friend tells the officer that the drugs in question are theirs and that you did not know anything about it, this information will be documented in the report, and you might even escape charges altogether. On the other hand, if your friend denies knowing anything about the marijuana and the vehicle is registered in your name, the road ahead will be harder. 

Criminal Background

Your criminal background will impact the outcome of the situation. If you have a history of marijuana possession in your own record or other offenses, the prosecutor and attorney handling your case might be less inclined to believe your story that the drugs are not yours. However, if your record is clean, but the passenger has a record of possession charges, the situation might create an easier defense for you. 

Evidence

You need to be able to prove that the marijuana is not yours, not just say it. Look for any type of evidence you can to prove the theory. For instance, say the person was known to have marijuana in their possession. They asked for a ride from you via text, but you sent a message saying you'd give them a ride, but that they couldn't have drugs in your car. This small bit of information might be helpful in proving that you did not know they had drugs on them.

Probable Cause

More important than anything else is probable cause. If the arresting officer did not have probable cause to search your vehicle, regardless of the marijuana discovered, any charges against you could be dismissed. Without probable cause, the search and discovery are considered illegal. An attorney can review the records for the stop and search to determine this information. 

You can't simply tell the judge that the marijuana was not yours. You need a solid defense. Don't hesitate to contact a defense attorney who can help you establish an interstate marijuana defense for your case.