Sorry I didn’t update sooner. APPARENTLY when I am at work I am supposed to actually do some – News to me… LOL!! Well, Stephen’s sentencing… I guess it went pretty much as we expected. He was given 40 days (good time at 30 days – and he already has 28 in), 2 years probation which will include Absolute Sobriety with Random testing, 100 hours community service and of course numerous fines and restitution. If he should happen to violate his probation (one of my biggest fears, no matter that he says he is ‘cured’….), he will have to serve 18 months straight time (meaning no early release, no work release). I think that all of it was pretty much what we thought – although I was not expecting the community service, the judge thru that in despite attorney recommendations. I also wasn’t prepared for the 18 month sentence he received for the one charge. It’s scary to think that one slip-up will mean revoked probation and certain jail time. That is a worry since he is addicted – we never would have been in this mess if it weren’t for the drugs. He believes he is all better now (he’s been clean for 28 days – BECAUSE he has been behind bars. It was not his choice to be clean. I pray that he has really learned a lesson or two while he has had this time to think and understands what he is facing. The next step… Unfortunately, this is not the end. He still has 2 outstanding warrants in another county, right next to Milwaukee. There is currently a hold on him because of the warrants. SO, even though he will reach his 30 days good time and be eligible for release, the hold will prevent him from getting out. I have been trying to deal with all of this and believe me, it is a circus! I try to talk to Ozaukee CO and find out what they are planning on doing (are they going to come and pick Steve up and take him there?). They tell me he has to turn himself in. Well, duh, we know that, but he can’t turn himself in if he has a hold, and the hold will not be released til he turns himself in. DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM? Goofy. So, I guess I’m in for another round of phone calls… As for the outstanding charges; I don’t know what to expect there. Stephen seems to think that if they bring him there, they’ll just put him in front of the judge and set a court date. I, however am not quite so optimistic. One of his charges involves fleeing, so to me, it seems like that would be a flight risk and they would just hold him. I guess we will find out…. I was a little surprised at court. It was very informal. I guess everybody gets the same time to report to court and they go in the order of check in. Well, my bf’s lawyer was late, so Steve was last on the docket – JUST MY LUCK! So I got to sit there and listen to everybody else’s cases. There were quite a few delays and it was pretty boring. I had my book with me and read thru the first couple of cases, but then the bailiff came over and told me I wasn’t allowed to read in the courtroom… Huh? That seemed pretty ridiculous, but who am I to argue? I’m pretty convinced that generally, ALL/MOST of their rules are like that! Anyway, heard some interesting cases (I was secretly glad that my boyfriend was not the worst offender that was there – is that terrible?). Some were pretty rough, like I didn’t really want to hear these details of other people’s lives, but what can you do I guess, it’s a public record. Just as they were getting to the end of the list, they kind of asked why I was sitting there, since I hadn’t checked in for a hearing. I told them I was there to support my boyfriend. I WAS THEY ONLY PERSON WHO ACTUALLY WAS THERE IN SUPPORT. Not one other person had anybody there for them. It did not go unnoticed by the judge. When he was giving Steve his lecture, he made specific mention to the fact that I was there for him and he should really appreciate that I took the time to be there for him when everybody else was all alone. He told Steve to really think about the support and love that I have shown him through-out this whole mess and to make sure he appreciates all that I have done for him (go judge!! It was nice to hear that, I gotta say).
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