Most people know that the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit is .08 for the purposes of driving under the influence (DUI) cases. However with the new 2023 laws for drivers under 21, it is important to realize what happens today when a minor gets a DUI charge under the age of 21 with a BAC between .01 and .08 in any state of the country. Just as crucial, is knowing what to do in time for legal defense fighting an underage DUI, especially in many cases when police did not have probable cause to pull someone over in the first place.
What some people are not aware of is that most states have enacted a “zero tolerance” policy regarding DUI, DWI by those drivers below the legal drinking age of twenty-one. This policy was the direct result of the states realization that many alcohol related incidents involved underage DUI cases.
Thus to combat that rising issue under 21 intoxicated driving arrests, the state mandates that any minor whose breath test results reveal a .02 BAC or higher is subject to immediate arrest for a juvenile or underage DUI charge. If you or your child has been charged with this particular type of DUI as a minor, contact us for a free online review of the arrest details as soon as possible to identify the best under 21 DUI defense strategy that works in time. Then we are in an informed position of the situation to discuss all of your available options in what to do next along with potential ways to get out of the offense for a minor in court.
The consequences of this type of misdemeanor – operating a vehicle while intoxicated under the influence of alcohol or high on drugs as a juvenile offender can be particularly bad. This occurs because the criminal record of a guilty plea or conviction can affect every aspect of a young person’s life for decades to follow if not handled properly and in a timely fashion to get cleared.
Dealing with the problem early is of paramount importance, and an expert DUI attorney can greatly increase your chances of dismissing a first offense case, after reviewing the pending case details.
What are the First Offense DUI Consequences for a Minor?
First DUI, DWI consequences to expect will happen for individuals under the age of 21 include:
- An average court fine up to $1,100.00, minimum 15 hours of community service.
- Driver’s license suspension length of time for 6 months to 1 year in most cases that result in a conviction today.
- An ignition interlock device may even be required under new 2023 laws in certain states, as a condition to get a driver’s license back.
- Any underage driver convicted as a first-time DUI offender will also be required to take at least 10 hours of mandatory DUI classes nearby, if an online DUI school is not available near person’s location.
Since the local jurisdiction and mandatory state punishment that happens today is severe for a minor convicted of a first offense DUI, the importance of exploring every best defense strategy with a free online arrest review becomes clear.
There are many options that can be examined for individuals in this position, ranging from pre-trial intervention to suppression or exclusion of certain pieces of potentially damaging evidence. In many instances, our free online arrest review also helps provide additional information that is useful in learning actions to take in how to get out of and drop a underage charge as a juvenile DUI or DWI offender.
Although a juvenile and under 21 case faces tougher standards, in contrast, the standard of care required of the arresting officers is also greater. There are many defenses that a provides you to use to either dismiss the charges altogether or to push for a lesser charge (plea bargain down). Oftentimes, a lesser charge than DUI or DWI can save a juvenile from the very ugly blunder that would have otherwise been on his or her record for years if not forever. This can also save thousands of dollars in insurance costs that accompany a conviction for under the legal drinking age DUI-related case.
It is important for both minors and their parents to understand what will happen regarding a license suspension for a minor and contemplate the severity of the charges when arrested for a first offense DUI below the age of 21. Please contact us immediately for a free online analysis of the arrest specifics. This way you will learn all possible best defense options for what happens and how to utilize legal methods for how to get out of a juvenile or under 21 DUI case.
Finding the proper underage DUI defense that works early enough will ensure to keep a minor’s record clear for the future, and leave this mistake in the past where it belongs.
Under 21 DUI Defense, 2023 – Additional Underage DUI Law References:
Hi my names Stephanie and I’m A college student with a DWI and I’m looking for help on how to get it dismissed I currently have two lawyers and they have done nothing and I really need someone who can help me.