How Did a Diversion Program Help Us Protect A Student from Underage Drinking Charges?
We all made mistakes when we were in college! Be it the smallest of wrongdoings to the gravest, we all learnt from our mistakes and evolved to become the person we are today. However, sometimes, some mistakes involve the police. And it is then that the consequences can become life-altering!
An underage drinking charge not just threatens a student’s academic future, but also impacts their career prospects. At the Logue Law Group, we firmly believe that one youthful error should not define a person’s entire life. That’s why our expert Pittsburgh criminal lawyers at the Logue Law Group often pursue alternative resolutions to protect a clean record.
Underage Drinking- Charges and Penalties
In Pennsylvania, underage drinking involves purchasing, consuming, possessing, or knowingly transporting any alcoholic beverage when you are under 21. It is regarded as a summary offense. Although technically it is less severe than a misdemeanor, the penalties are still mandatory and harsh.
A first offense carries a maximum fine of $500 plus court costs, and your license gets suspended for about 90 days. Subsequent violations increase the potential fine up to $1,000 and imprisonment of up til 2 years.
Besides that, a conviction for underage drinking creates a publicly searchable criminal record. This can create significant problems in a student’s life and can negatively impact future college applications, professional licensing boards, and job interviews.
That’s exactly why people seek help from our expert Pittsburgh criminal lawyers. They are the right professionals who know the intricacies of such cases, and can fight for a favorable outcome for you, and help you maintain a clean record to futureproof your career.
How Did We Tackle the Case?
In this particular case, our client, a university student, faced an underage drinking charge. As soon as we got to know about the case, we understood that a conviction or even a plea would severely affect his long-term professional goals. Therefore, all we tried to do was secure our client an admission into a Diversionary Program.
Pennsylvania’s legal system provides options like the Summary Diversion Program (SDP) for minor, first-time offenses. Our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers approached the District Attorney’s office to negotiate our client’s acceptance. We highlighted our client’s clean record and strong academic standing. Those were his eligibility tickets for the program.
The Diversionary Program also required him to pay fines and attend an educational class on alcohol awareness. Upon successful completion of these terms, our client’s original underage drinking charge was withdrawn. And since a withdrawal is not a conviction, it helped our client avoid the mandatory driver’s license suspension.
What’s best is that the withdrawn charge immediately made our client eligible for expungement. This ensured that our client was not only saved from a conviction but also from a visible record. Such an outcome would protect his academic career and reputation as well. That’s the main reason why you should seek help from expert legal professionals like our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers if you ever find yourself entangled in such cases. We give it our best to protect your rights, your career, and your reputation as well! Just call us at 844.PITT.DUI for a free consultation.