Legal Penalties for Minor in Possession of Alcohol By Loren M Merlin

Alcoholic consumption amongst teens and young adults has long been a source of concern for parents. Since teens are known for being risk takers, a lot can go seriously wrong from alcoholic consumption. As it stands, drunk driving poses a serious health concern for our nation's teens. Thousands of teens and young adults die in drunken driving accidents every year. Even if it wasn't our own child that was drunk driving, they can be killed if they get into a vehicle where the teen driver had been drinking or if they are hit by another drunk driver while leaving a party.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each day, nearly 30 people in the United States die in an alcohol-related motor vehicle crash, that amounts to one death every 48 minutes. In 2009, nearly 11,000 people were killed in alcohol-impaired crashes, accounting for 32% of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. Furthermore, approximately 18% of motor vehicle deaths involve a combination of drugs such as marijuana and alcohol. Who is at the greatest risk of being killed in an alcohol-related collision? Young people are at the greatest risk of being involved in an alcohol-impaired collision, more than any other risk group.

Teens who over consume alcohol are also at risk for "black outs," where they may become unconscious and subject to fatal alcohol poisoning. For the reasons aforementioned, law enforcement cracks down on underage alcohol consumption; therefore, if your son or daughter is arrested for minor in possession of alcohol, they stand to face criminal consequences.
Under Vehicle Code Section 13202 of the California Penal Code, any minor who is convicted of a drug or alcohol offense will lose their driving privileges for one full year. In addition to driver's license sanctions, they may face a minimum $250 fine, from 24 to 32 hours of community service or the possibility of both a fine and community service upon the judge's discretion. The above penalties are for a first time offense. For a second drug or alcohol related offense, the courts may impose a fine up to $500, from 36 to 48 hours community service or the combination of both a fine and community service. If your son or daughter is convicted of minor in possession, from there on out they will carry the burden of a criminal record. They will have to answer "yes" when they are asked if they have ever been convicted of a crime on all future employment and college applications.
By example, a seemingly harmless night out with friends can turn catastrophic in a matter of seconds. While your child may be the "responsible" one out of his or her friends, and volunteers to be the designated driver, he or she may even get in trouble with the law for being surrounding by other minors in possession of alcohol or drugs. Furthermore, if an underage person brings an open container of alcohol into your child's car as they responsibly drive their friend home, your child may be charged criminally for this as well.
Another serious concern about a MIP conviction is how it will affect your child's insurance rates. Since your child will be in the high risk category, your insurance carrier may either significantly increase your child's premiums or they might drop them off the policy. Finding another carrier is not impossible, but you will have to pay larger premiums. In the long run, greater insurance rates can cost thousands of extra dollars over the upcoming years.

Although fines and driver's license suspension are an inconvenience, probably the most difficult part of an MIP conviction is the criminal conviction. This will ultimately turn employers away from hiring your son or daughter, and may even affect their college applications and financial aid. If your child is convicted, they have a rough road ahead of them and will need lifelong support from you to ensure that they can get by. Additionally, any fines that they are unable to pay will be your responsibility as a parent.

If your son or daughter has been arrested for the unlawful consumption of alcohol, it is extremely important that you contact a highly experienced Los Angeles DUI defense attorney for help. It would be very unfortunate for such an event to have a substantial impact on your child's future. Take action by contacting a DUI lawyer today!
The Los Angeles legal team at the Law Offices of Loren M. Merlin has been representing clients charged with all types of DUI offenses for years. They realize how common DUI arrests are and how most people charged with DUI are everyday normal citizens, not criminals. Their years of experience in the DUI field have helped them to develop winning strategies that have produced reduced and dropped charges for their clients. If you have been arrested for DUI, you don't have to give up hope. To learn more about how they can help you dispute your DUI charges, contact a Los Angeles DUI defense attorney today by calling (866) 874-7164.

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