Stiff, serious and lacking a sense of humor might be the picture some Lake Orion High School students had of a typical judge before meeting 52nd-3rd District Court Judge Lisa Asadoorian.
Asadoorian spoke to the LOHS junior class on April 22, using her humor and down-to-earth style to connect with the kids about the dangers of drinking and driving, especially with graduation just around the corner.
‘I have over 500 people on my docket every two weeks,? she said. ‘A huge chunk of them look just like you.?
Asadoorian said it was possible to have fun at prom without ‘that post-prom dreaded activity…coming to see me.?
‘Minor in possession (MIP) means you can not even hold a beer unless you’re 21,? she said. ‘If you do, you come to court…you mess up your license and your parents have to come to court…I want everyone to have an understanding of what’s happening.?
The typical penalty Asadoorian will hand down for such an offense is a year of probation.
‘That’s how you’ll spend your senior year,? she said. ‘It’s $35 a month, plus $150 in court fees…and I can test you anytime I want. ‘For everyday you aren’t in school, I’ll put you in jail for a day.?
Asadoorian said she has also been known to send people to the morgue to view an autopsy as part of their sentencing.
‘It’s a two and a half hour process,? she said of the visit. ‘I’ve sent thousands. When you come back…about 85 percent say ‘Thank God.? It works.?
Asadoorian doesn’t want to see any of the students ‘lying on a cold slab.?
‘Statistically, at least one of you will not make it to your senior year,? she said. ‘Look around, who’s it going to be??
Asadoorian also had a warning for parents who think it’s OK to let their kids drink ‘as long as they are doing it at home.?
‘They can get charged with a host ordinance violation,? said Asadoorian. ‘I don’t care if they’re home or not…It’s just as bad to say it’s OK to do it at home.?
Asadoorian said ending up in trouble because of drinking will always happen to ‘the person who thinks it can not happen to him or her.?
‘You can have a ton of fun without breaking the law,? she added.
If a student is caught, and sentenced to probation, a probation violation can result in a stay in Oakland County Jail, a place Asadoorian said ‘you don’t want to go.?
‘You get one person who can visit you for one hour, one day of the week,? she said. ‘The women’s division is known as ‘F Block.? They are vicious…they are violent.
‘They will make your life a living hell…and all for one beer.There are kids from this high school on my docket and I am crossing my fingers that they don’t blow it.?
Once your sentence is served, Asadoorian said an underage offense can still follow you for the rest of your life.
‘It’s on your record,? she said. ‘No one’s going to give you the benefit of the doubt…It’s not worth it.?
Asadoorian has put a mother and son in jail on the same day.
‘The mom supplied the son with alcohol,? she said. ‘I’m not into that…it’s not like I’m on a witch hunt for (parents), but I have a way of finding out.?
In addition to not drinking before 21, students should also be aware that you can’t have sex with anyone under the age of 16 in the state of Michigan.
‘You have to go to prison,? she said. ‘Even if it’s a month before their 16th birthday. There is no defense.?
Asadoorian said rumors are spread in school and that people will find out.
‘It follows you everywhere,? she added. ‘You’ll establish a reputation.?
Asadoorian told the story of an 18-year-old boy who was recently found guilty of four counts of criminal sexual conduct for having sex with a minor.
‘If a loved one dies, you don’t get a day pass (out of prison),? she said. ‘And his started with an MIP.
? At 17, your parents can not protect you,? she added.
Asadoorian extended an invitation to the students to come sit in on her court in Rochester Hills whenever they wanted.
‘You’ll learn where you don’t want to be,? she said, adding that just that morning she had resided over the appearances of the NBA players involved in a January brawl at Pistons-Pacers game.
Students from Stoney Creek High School had asked if they could sit in on the Pacers, and Asadoorian told them to ‘come on in.?
‘It’s not just you, it’s the adults as well,? she said, telling about the limo driver who was caught drunk driving in Florida by the 10 teenagers she was driving to the prom.
In addition to alcohol and drugs like marijuana, Asadoorian said students should beware of prescription medications as well.
‘If you have someone else’s prescription with you, it’s a four-year felony…no matter who it belongs to,? she added. ‘And mixing pills with Red Bull…it does a complete number on your heart.?