Minor In Consumption Of Alcohol Scottsdale Arizona

Underage Drinking In Scottsdale

As soon as Arizona State University is back in session, our office gets inundated with calls for underage drinking in Scottsdale. The legal classifications for underage drinking are Minor in Consumption of Alcohol (MIC) and Minor in Possession of Alcohol (MIP). Arizona laws criminalizing underage drinking can be found at A.R.S. 4-244. The laws are straightforward, essentially, they say, you cannot be under the age of 21 with alcohol in your system or be in possession of alcohol.

Regardless of whether you are a potential client or parent of a potential client, hiring a lawyer is the smart thing to do. I encourage you to read through the following frequently asked questions:

Q: The officer didn’t read me my Miranda Rights, can the case be dismissed?

A: We get this question all the time. Miranda only has to be read upon custodial interrogation. If you were exhibiting the signs and symptoms of alcohol consumption, Miranda doesn’t have to read. More than likely, the officer had probable cause to cite you for underage drinking.

Q: The officer didn’t administer a Breathalyzer, how do they know I was drinking?

A: If you smelled like alcohol, had slurred speech, were staggering or admitted to consuming alcohol, the officer had probable cause to issue the citation. They do not need to administer a Breathalyzer.

Q: The officer breathalyzed me, but my breath alcohol was under a .08, why am I being charged with an MIC?

A: If you are under 21, it is illegal to have any traceable amount of alcohol in your system. Even if the breathalyzer reads a .01, you can be charged with MIC.

Q: Why was I arrested?

A: If the police officer believed you were unruly, or you live outside of Arizona, they will arrest you. Being arrested has nothing to do with the strengths or weaknesses of your case

Q: Will I go to jail if I’m convicted?

A: On average, our clients do not go to jail for MIC or MIP charges?

Q: Will this be on my criminal record?

A: If you are convicted, the conviction will forever remain on your criminal record. This is why it’s important to hire a lawyer.

Q: My friends say I don’t need to hire a lawyer, are they right?

A: Your friends aren’t lawyers and it’s not their life. They won’t have to suffer the long-term consequences of something possibly going wrong by trying to handle the case without a lawyer.

Q: Is it worth hiring a lawyer? I heard they’re expensive.

A: Two-part question. Yes, it’s absolutely worth hiring a lawyer. The long-term effects of having a criminal conviction on your record could be devastating. That said, don’t waste your money on an overpriced lawyer. Given that we have represented thousands of clients and are at Scottsdale Court every day, we charge an extremely reasonable rate. Get a quote from a few other law firms, you’ll see that we are significantly less.

Q: How much is a consultation with one of your lawyers?

A: Our phone consultations are always FREE. You will speak with a licensed Arizona lawyer. Some of our competitors use sales people. We don’t. If you’re calling around and you feel like you’re not speaking with a licensed attorney, you probably aren’t – ask for their license number.

Q: If I hire your office, will I have to go to court?

A: At most, you will have to make one telephonic court appearance. We’ll be on the line with you. We will make this process EASY for you.