Bradenton Attorney for Underage Drinking Charge

Sarasota Underage Drinking and Driving Lawyer

Charges of underage drinking (known as minor in possession) and underage drinking and driving are faced by many young people. A conviction can have lasting consequences for someone whose life is just starting. It is important to retain strong legal representation to protect the rights and futures of teens and young adults.

Our Clients

At the law offices of MSPerryLaw, we handle cases involving underage drinking and underage drinking and driving, focusing on representing high school and college students. If you are charged with either of these offenses, you may face license suspension, jail time, fines and increased insurance premiums. Other penalties can include problems with financial aid, admission to college and employment opportunities. The stakes are high, and we urge you to call us right away to begin protecting yourself.

We also defend adults who have been charged with providing alcohol to minors and young people who used a forged or stolen ID to obtain alcohol. These related offenses carry significant penalties and the risk of a criminal record.

MIP Penalties

As with adult drunk driving cases, a minor charged with drinking and driving will have his or her license suspended and will need to request a DMV hearing within 10 days to challenge the suspension. In addition, a minor with a blood alcohol content of over .02 can also be charged with underage drinking and receive a misdemeanor conviction. If you receive another charge, the penalties increase if you are convicted a second time.

Defense Strategies

If the matter is an underage DUI, we determine whether the police had probable cause to stop your car. Our attorneys thoroughly investigate your case, reviewing the police records, the administration of the breath test and field sobriety tests to ensure that the officer followed the procedures correctly.

If the case involves a minor in possession, we make sure that the drink in question was actually alcoholic and determine whether the young person was in possession of alcohol because of his or her employment, such as serving in a restaurant or bar. Florida's underage drinking laws allow young adults between 18 and 21 to serve, but not consume, alcohol.

Contact attorney Michael Perry online or call 941-365-4000 to schedule your free initial consultation to speak with a Bradenton lawyer handling underage drinking charges.