Should I get a lawyer for attempting to purchase alcohol underage with a fake ID?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Should I get a lawyer for attempting to purchase alcohol underage with a fake ID?
I got caught attempting to purchase alcohol with a fraudulent ID. It is called an ABC violation. I have a court date. What should I do? Do I need a lawyer? Will it go on my record (the police officers said it wouldn’t).
Asked on August 27, 2011 New York
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
First time offenders may be given a fine of up to 100 hours and community service of up to 30 hours. The court may also require the completion of an alcohol awareness program. The penalties increase for subsequent offenses. Additionally, the court may order that the driver's license of the offender be suspended for a set period of time. The length of the suspension can range from 3 months to the time the offender turns 21.
At this point you need to see a lawyer. Pick one who practices near the court in question. They can use their local contacts to your best advantage. How these matters are handled varies from courthouse to courthouse, especially in juvenile courts. Consult with an attorney who specializes in these cases. They can tell you how to proceed to minimize the long-term consequences of a youthful mistake.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.