Arizona Shows Zero Tolerance For Underage Drinking and Driving
If you are convicted of driving drunk — or driving with any alcohol in your blood, as a minor — in Mesa or elsewhere in Arizona, you are likely to face many negative consequences, including the following:
- Loss of your driver's license for two years
- Possible jail time
- A misdemeanor or felony on your criminal record that will last a lifetime
- Negative implications in many areas of life: college admission, student loan qualification, background checks connected with job applications and raised insurance rates
Charged With Underage DUI in Mesa? Call Our Mesa Underage Drinking and Driving Lawyer
Beware the temptation to treat a minor DUI charge like a traffic ticket in your mind. It is much more than a traffic ticket. You may believe that going to court, accepting responsibility and pleading guilty to a minor DUI or straight DUI is the best thing to handle this challenge. In fact, you will most likely be selling yourself short if you take any such action without first contacting an experienced and knowledgeable defense attorney.
Your underage drinking and driving arrest is no doubt frightening and humiliating. But we urge you to discuss your case with a defense attorney at Rosenstein Law Group to learn how we can help you before having any further contact with law enforcement or the courts.
Contact the Rosenstein Law Group immediately at 480-248-7666.
What is a "Minor DUI"? It Is Not a Minor Matter!
Arizona statute ARS 4-244(34) forbids any person younger than age 21 to drive with any detectable blood alcohol content. Even if your BAC does not rise to the level of a straight DUI (.08), you can still be charged with "minor DUI" if there is any alcohol in your body. This can mean a two-year driver's license suspension, significant fines, and a misdemeanor on your criminal record forever.
What About Straight DUI Charges for Underage Drivers in Mesa?
"Straight DUI" charges for a minor — alleging a BAC of .08 or higher — will carry serious penalties. Unlike the situation with some other criminal charges for minors, the law does not show leniency because of your age in the case of underage drunk driving.
A conviction may mean that you will serve time in jail, you will have your driver's license suspended for two years, you will pay fines, you will be required to have an ignition interlock installed on your car, you will be required to undergo alcohol assessment and counseling, attend classes, appear before impact panels, be on probation, and do community service.
Those are only the legal consequences. There are likely to be many other negative consequences in your private and personal life, such as greatly increased auto insurance rates, which can make it difficult for you to afford to drive at all.
Rosenstein Law Group provides aggressive defense strategies that have helped many clients obtain favorable results:
- Charges reduced
- Case dismissed
- Acquittal at trial
Free Case Evaluation — Call a Mesa Underage DUI Defense Lawyer 24/7
To learn about our aggressive defense approach to underage DUI charges, contact the Rosenstein Law Group today.
