Fall is finally here, and that means football season and tailgating parties with friends. Regardless of whether you are a football fan, there always seems to be something to do this time of year, and a large majority of local activities involve alcohol. This is true not only for adults, but also for underage “young adults”. The consequences of drinking and driving for those over the age of 21 can be pretty severe, and the State also cracks down on underage drinkers in the hope of sending a message that will deter future misbehavior.
A DUI case is a two part case, one part is the criminal case against you and the other part involves loss of your driver’s license. These things hold true for underage drinkers as well, but for those not yet 21 there is more to the story. Two ways an underage person can be charged with an alcohol related offense include:
- Drinking or consuming an alcoholic beverage while not having reached 21 years of age.
- Simply possessing alcohol while under the age of 21.
What this means is that if you have not had anything to drink, but have a six pack in the backseat of your car, you can be charged with an alcohol related offense. There are exceptions, but they are limited to instances of possession of alcohol as part of a job duty. In this way, an employer can authorize an underage person to be in possession of alcohol as part of their employment, and no crime will have been committed. Fighting alcohol related charges as an underage person is important, because you will want to start your “adulthood” with a clean slate. We know that having prior convictions on your record can hurt you later, so we take steps to keep charges off your record when possible. For alcohol related charges the issue is even more important, because you don’t want this type of information to find its way to your driving record and then to your insurance agent, who will surely raise your already high rates. Call our office today for help from one of our qualified DUI and criminal defense attorneys.
If you have questions about DUI’s or other alcohol related crimes, call a competent criminal defense attorney in Stuart and the Treasure Coast for help. Call us to schedule an appointment.