If convicted of underage DUI charges in Arlington, you have been convicted of a Class 1 misdemeanor and are therefore looking at a number of different penalties including up to a year in jail, a $500 fine, 50 hours of community services, and a license suspension, all depending on the specific factors of your case. You will also likely be required to complete the Alcohol Safety Action Program no matter what specific DUI offense you are convicted of. These penalties along with the detrimental impact that any type of criminal offense can have on your record means it is imperative that you seek the counsel of an Arlington underage DUI lawyer if charged. An experienced lawyer can explain the specific penalties you are likely facing and put forth the strongest possible defense for your case. To learn more call and and schedule a consultation today.
If you’re convicted of underage DUI, you won’t necessarily have to go to jail, often because you’ll have suspended jail sentence instead of an active jail sentence. Instead of serving your sentence in jail, you will often be required to attend an alcohol program, complete community service, pay a fine and serve a license suspension. All of these are alternatives to jail.
There’s no set of requirements to qualify for any alternative sentences, and in truth, it’s not really an alternative sentence as much as it is staying out of jail. The ultimate penalty comes down the facts of the case, who is charged, and the judge or prosecutor’s ultimate decision to offer alternatives to jail.
After receiving either type of DUI conviction, you will often be permitted to have a restricted license that will allow you to drive to and from work, medical appointments and court appearances. Typically, you must have an ignition interlock for any restricted license, whether you’re over 21 or not. With that said, it is ultimately at the court’s discretion whether to grant you a restricted license and what terms to set.
A conviction for underage DUI is like any other criminal conviction on your record: anytime you apply for job in the future, you have to say that you’ve been convicted of a crime—specifically a DUI offense—and that obviously can be a disadvantage for you. That can affect your driver’s license for a period of time, your insurance rates for life, your ability to get a job requiring security clearance and even college applications.
Parents should know that if their child is charged with a criminal offense, the outcome will seriously affect the child’s future. Prosecutors take it seriously, judges take it seriously and a conviction will be applied to the child’s criminal record. Parents of a child charged with DUI should get an attorney right away in order to protect the child’s interests.