Underage drinking in Wisconsin carries significant penalties in excess of just monetary fines. If police charge you or your child with any underage or juvenile alcohol offense, it’s possible that you or your child will receive a driver’s license suspension as well even if the offense does not involve a motor vehicle.
What’s at risk?
Criminal law in Wisconsin leaves judges significant leeway in assigning penalties for underage alcohol offenses, but subsequent charges increase potential penalties exponentially. Possible outcomes for convictions under these statutes include:
- Fines ranging from $50-$750
- Additional fees and assessments
- Driver’s license suspensions ranging from 30 days to two years
- Supervised work programs
- Court-ordered alcohol abuse education programs
As you can see, one mistake could lead to a substantial cost. An experienced drunk driving attorney may work to get you the best possible outcome in your case. Even if your incident does not involve a charge of OWI or DWI, a lawyer with practice in that realm may argue a case hinging on the possession or consumption of alcohol underage.
What you can do
There are many elements to an underage alcohol possession case. A consultation with an attorney lets you explore a number of possible defenses or mitigating factors. In addition, a criminal defense attorney should be familiar with programs that are available to you or your child in lieu of some of the penalties listed above.
Criminal charges are serious. An attorney may properly lay out what you are up against and explain the court procedure. Even if you are guilty of the offense that police charged you with, a lawyer may explore all aspects of your case and examine your options to move forward. A consultation is more than worth your time if you or your child faces underage alcohol charges in Wisconsin.
