A Mililani Middle School teacher was granted a chance to have her marijuana-smoking case dropped after she decided to not challenge the petty misdemeanor charge and pleaded "no contest" yesterday.

Lisa Luhrsen, 36, of Waipahu, who was free on $50 bail, entered the plea before Wahiawa District Judge Clarence Pacarro. The judge overruled prosecution objections and granted Luhrsen's request to defer accepting the plea and finding her guilty.

Pacarro ruled that if she stays out of trouble for six months and pays a $400 fine, the case will be dropped.

He also ordered Luhrsen to undergo a substance abuse assessment to determine if she should receive treatment.

Luhrsen and Benjamin Ayson, 32, of Kane'ohe, another Mililani Middle School teacher, were arrested after they reportedly were seen smoking marijuana in Ayson's pickup truck at the Mililani Park and Ride about 8:45 a.m. Dec. 4.

School was in session, but Luhrsen, a math teacher, was not scheduled to teach any students that day, her lawyer, Victor Bakke, said.

Bakke said that although his client did not contest the charge, she did not admit she smoked marijuana. Bakke said he couldn't comment on whether she actually smoked the drug.

He said her "no contest" plea and request to defer the plea were "a good way to resolve (her case)."

A trial would have taken a lot of time and attorney fees and if she lost, Luhrsen would have a criminal record and possibly could have gotten sentenced to jail, Bakke said.

He said his client was placed on leave, but no decision has been made about her job.

The petty misdemeanor carries a sentence of up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Ayson's case is still pending. His lawyer, David Gierlach, earlier denied his client was smoking marijuana and said he was smoking a Benson & Hedges cigarette.

Reach Ken Kobayashi at kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com.