Will a police searching my dorm room show up on my record?

Question

I live in a college dorm room and recently received a citation for possession of marijuana. I let the officer pat me down and search my room. When he was done he left and I was never taken down to the police station or anything. I wasn't arrested at all was I? This wont show up on any type of arrest record will it? Thanks

Michael J. Breczinski · Answer

No it should not.

Michael Garber · Answer

No.

John DeVito · Answer

If the police searched your dorm room and did not arrest you or summons you to court, no criminal record has been created. Because you were not fingerprinted, no FBI record is created. (all fingerprints taken by the police in MA are forwarded to the FBI) The only information about you may stem from the civil citation issued for possessing marijuana. There may also be a police report on record about the search of your dorm room.

Stephen Freeborn · Answer

If you received a citation, then you have been charged with a crime.  If convicted, yes, it will be a part of your record.

Gregory Casale · Answer

The only thing that shows up on your CORI is actual court appearances. A search should not appear, nor a citation.

Timothy Klisz · Answer

No. You weren't arrested.

Cynthia Henley · Answer

If you are convicted, then it will show on your record. A citation is in lieu of arrest. Hire a lawyer.

Jacob P. Sartz · Answer

You are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. You have a right to counsel. I'd strongly encourage you to exercise that right. It depends on what your citation is; if it's for a misdemeanor, you have a pending criminal complaint and will need to turn yourself in and be arraigned. It should state something on the bottom of the ticket whether to turn yourself in at a particular court within a period of time. If you failed to comply with the instructions on the ticket, you could be risking a bench warrant, so read it carefully. The police don't necessarily need to bring a person down to the police station for a misdemeanor; they can simply issue the ticket with the expectation being that the individual will turn themselves in to the court. Read the language very carefully on that ticket. Possession of marijuana in Michigan can be charged as a misdemeanor punishable if convicted by up to one year in jail, probation, fines, costs, license sanctions, or other penalties. However, it depends on what you were charged with. If it was for a civil infraction issued pursuant to a local ordinance, then it's potentially a different situation. I'd advise you to privately consult with a defense attorney. Most attorneys provide free initial consultations.

Thomas Tomko · Answer

You were not arrested and there is no record of that. Your police department may have a contact list, but this is an internal non-public record with the police.

Steven D. Dunnings · Answer

You have to deal with the citation you were given. I'm sure you have to appear in court on that.

Jared Altman · Answer

Yes. It will show up as a petty offense unless you pursuade the judge to give you an ACD. The judge can grant this even if The prosecution objects. An ACD is where your case gets adjourned, usually for a year but sometimes less. If you don't get into trouble while the case remains open, then on the adjourned date the case is automatically dismissed. You usually get offered only one of these and very rarely a second.

Michael Dungan · Answer

The citation is the functional equivalent of an arrest, it should show upon your record.  Hopefully your case is being handled by competent counsel, there are avenues available to you to come out of this case with no record whatsoever.

Roianne Houlton Conner · Answer

You were cited not arrest so this should not appear on your record.

Craig Elhart · Answer

The citation ordered you to appear in court most likely.  Upon a conviction, you will have a criminal record.  An attorney may be able to assist you in this matter through a 7411 plea.

Dennis Roberts · Answer

No, you got a ticket, that's all.

Terry Nelson · Answer

Only arrests and convictions.

Jonathan Baner · Answer

There might be an incident file somewhere, but it should not otherwise appear based on the facts your stating.

Jeffrey Pollock · Answer

You were not arrested; your were cited.  That does not count as a  criminal  "conviction" if you are found guilty in court.

Scott Hilderman · Answer

It will not show up on your criminal history.

Christian Phelps · Answer

The short answer is that it might.  If you were actually booked into a jail - finger printed and photographed, etc. - that information goes immediately into the state criminal records system administered by the Washington State Patrol and would show up as an  "arrest" on your record.  Because you were merely cited and released (technically still considered an arrest) the more important issue is the outcome of the actual possession charge.  If it was dismissed outright it might never show up in the records maintained by the State Patrol and therefore not show up on your publicly available "official criminal history." Generally only conviction information is supposed to be included in your publicly available criminal history. However, a dismissal after a period of probation or a diversion agreement is considered an "outcome adverse to the defendant" and the State Patrol can make it part of your publicly available criminal history.  Your issue doesn't stop there.  The local jurisdiction where you received the ticket will enter the charge into their local court records which in most cases are linked to the state-wide court records system.  Most data-mining companies and companies that conduct background searches for employers and landlords etc., know to check this system as well.  So even if your POM charge doesn't make it to your official criminal record maintained by the State Patrol it will still be in the court records system and available for public inspection.  You can search for yourself on the Washington Courts website and see if you show up, some smaller jurisdiction have yet to link into the system.

James Dowdy · Answer

It won't show up as an arrest because there was no arrest.  It will show on the courthouse public records as a drug charge.

Michael Palumbo · Answer

Sounds like you were arrested, so yes.

Edward Kroll · Answer

A simple search without arrest will not show up on your record.  You would know if you had been arrested.

Eric Sterkenburg · Answer

If you received a citation for possession of marijuana most likely you are charged with an infraction. In California possession of less than an ounce of marijuana is an infraction and the penalty is a one hundred dollar fine. This will show up on your record the same as any other infraction, such as a traffic ticket, would. If applying for a job you do not have to include this in the application.

Gregory Graf · Answer

If you received a summons, the charge will show up on your record.  You would be wise to receive the help of an attorney so you can dispose of your case in a way that will allow you to easily seal the records at a later date.

Mark R. Thiessen · Answer

Sounds weird.  Is it a school citation or a criminal court citation?  If criminal court then you must hire an attorney as it will show on your record.  As for school court, those don't really show, but could be a problem for graduate schools.

Robert D. Lewin · Answer

This will not show up on your Massachusetts Criminal Record.

Mark Broughton · Answer

If you received a citation (and a court date), this is actually an arrest, and you being released on your promise to appear in court. If the charges are filed on or before that date, it will appear on your arrest record, even if it is only for an infraction (like a traffic ticket; possession of less than an ounce of marijuana also). If charges are not filed at that time, then your record should show a detention only. If you were not issued a citation there might be no record.

James Schoenberger · Answer

If you were given a citation, there must be a court date associated with that (or you will be mailed a summons) and so this is likely to show up on your criminal history. If this is a misdemeanor, you can expunge it three years after you have completed all conditions of any sentence imposed.

Jason Savela · Answer

Yes - the citation is a criminal arrest for possession of MJ you have a court date that you must appear for  if you are convicted, it will show a conviction.

Bruce Arthur Plesser · Answer

If there was no arrest, probably not.

Leonard Harden · Answer

If you were charged with possession you have a court date and will need to answer the charge.  Do not ignore it.  I believe it will appear on your record.

Jeff Yeh · Answer

No it won't. Next time don't consent to any pat down or search. Exercise your 4th Amendment right and kindly decline.

Patrick Donovan · Answer

You have been summoned to the Court for a misdemeanor charge.  Although you were not arrested, it will show up on your criminal record, as will any conviction.  I have managed to get these types of charges dropped on many occasions in the past.

Andrea Rogers · Answer

No, it sounds like you were not arrested. However, if you received a  citation for possession of marijuana, that charge will show up on your  permanent criminal record. If you plead guilty and are convicted, the  conviction will appear on your permanent criminal record. If you hire an  attorney to represent you, and if you don't have any similar prior  convictions on your record, the attorney may be able to negotiate a plea  bargain with the prosecutor where you plead guilty to a reduced charge,  such as "Littering" and you pay a fine and court costs. Of course, this  depends on the court and the prosecutor.

Jared Winter · Answer

If he didn't take you to the station, you were not arrested.  If he didn't issue a citation or a notice to appear in court, then there are absolutely no charges pending.  It is possible that the DA may file charges later on.

James Edward Smith · Answer

This will show up that you were cited for marijuana.  If you can get  the case dismissed you can seal the record of the citation.

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