Charges Dropped for Underage Drinking: How a High School Junior Was Granted a Second Chance
Every parent dreads the late-night call from the police station, especially when it involves their children! And this exact scenario happened recently with the parents of a high school junior named Emily. The girl faced an underage drinking charge, which carried some serious long-term consequences.
However, her parents made an immediate smart move and sought help from the skilled Pittsburgh DUI attorneys of the Logue Law Group. Needless to say, we successfully had the charges dropped and presented Emily with a second chance to move on with her life.
Are you wondering how we did it? Well, follow along this blog to know it all!
What are the Consequences of an Underage Drinking Charge?
In Pennsylvania, underage drinking is not some kind of minor infraction. Rather, it is considered a serious summary offense and carries mandatory penalties upon conviction.
So, if you are a first-time offender, your driver’s license gets suspended for 90 days. Now, if you are held for a second conviction, the suspension period increases to 1 year. However, if you look through these immediate penalties, the actual damage lies in the permanent criminal record! Why so?
Well, a permanent criminal record can pose hurdles for college applications, scholarship eligibility, and employment opportunities in the future. And the worst part is that the record follows you for years! That is why you need a Pittsburgh DUI attorney who understands the implications and can help protect your future.
How Did We Manage to Get the Charges Dropped?
As soon as Emily’s parents contacted the Logue Law Group, we started with our course of action.
Our primary goal was to prevent a formal conviction and mitigate any possible license suspension. So, we immediately began reviewing the evidence provided by the Commonwealth. We examined every little detail of the stop, the detention, and the arrest.
And our meticulousness led us to an interesting place! We found a critical lack of evidence to prove actual consumption! Which meant that the prosecution’s case was based almost entirely on circumstantial evidence. Upon learning this, our Pittsburgh DUI attorneys aggressively leveraged these weaknesses and negotiated with the District Attorney’s office. Our defense focused not just on the legal deficiencies but also on the long-term consequences that our client was about to face.
Our Pittsburgh DUI attorneys also highlighted Emily’s excellent academic record. The prosecution, at last, recognized the merits of our argument and the weakness of the charges that our client was cited with.
And it was this strategic negotiation that resulted in a favorable resolution. We were able to negotiate a complete withdrawal of the charge. The final result was a total dismissal, which meant zero fines, no mandatory license suspension, and no criminal record for our client!
So, what does this instance present? That not every charge is meant to stay with you forever, and you do need to step up to protect your rights to future proof your career!
Therefore, if your child is facing similar charges, and you feel that his/ her future his threatened, do not ever hesitate to consult a dedicated Pittsburgh DUI attorney from the Logue Law Group, and get a confidential review for your case. Call us at 844.PITT.DUI to schedule a free consultation today!