Lexington Underage DUI Lawyer

There are specific laws set forth regarding underage DUI cases in Title 56 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. Lexington has a no-tolerance policy where if someone is under 21 years of age and their blood alcohol content (BAC) level is between 0.02 percent and 0.08 percent, they could have their license suspended for up to three months. The suspension could be increased from six months to five years if they have committed a second offense. They also face other penalties such as fines and possible jail time. An underage individual with a BAC above 0.08 could be facing enhanced penalties. If a person refuses a breath test after being suspected of a DUI, their license would be suspended for six months.

There are stricter laws for underage drivers and significant penalties. Reach out to a Lexington underage DUI lawyer today if you are facing charges. A dedicated DUI attorney could advocate for you and possibly help you reach a favorable resolution to your case.

What to Expect From an Underage DUI Case

Expectations of the process for a person under 21 will depend on their age. A person who is 18 years or older but under 21 is still considered an adult. However, they are is treated differently based on the legal age of alcohol consumption. It depends on the age of the person and whether the person is considered a juvenile (under 18) or an adult under the law.

If a person is considered a juvenile, they have to go through family court and there is a separate adjudication process that is related to the fact that the defendant is a juvenile and not an adult. Whereas if the person is an adult, they are still in regular adult court for a DUI first offense.

People should expect that upon arrest, they will be offered a breath test. They have the right to refuse the test, but their license will be suspended for six months because they have impliedly consented to give the test.

Once they are arrested, within 24 hours of arrest, they are required to have a bond hearing. At that bond hearing, the judge will tell them what they are being charged with and what their first appearance or their pretrial hearing court date is. If they do not show up, they could be found guilty in their absence. After they bond out, they will have the pretrial hearing.

In an underage DUI case, the individual should expect to have their license suspended and face significant penalties. Therefore, it is crucial for a defendant to obtain an underage DUI lawyer in Lexington.

Underage DUI Penalties

The penalties for an underage DUI case are similar to an adult DUI case. Specifically, what they are looking at is not only the person who gets convicted is facing potential jail time up to 30 days and expensive fines, but also, an underage DUI conviction could have some collateral consequences that will prevent them from being eligible for a life scholarship for college or university.

They will be put in a position where if there are other people in the car that are underage, they could be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor if there was open alcohol involved or charged with child endangerment if a juvenile was in the car.

There are additional penalties that a person could face if there were passengers that were under the age of 16. Other than that, just the conviction itself could have long-lasting consequences as far as impairing their ability to get a job based on having a prior criminal record, and their driver’s license would be suspended for six months.

Call a Lexington Underage DUI Attorney Today

If you are facing an underage DUI charge, you should consider obtaining an experienced attorney right away. A Lexington underage DUI lawyer could fight for you and help you keep your record clean. It is crucial for people to keep their record clean from criminal convictions. A criminal conviction could impact your education and career aspirations. Fortunately, a seasoned attorney knows the best defenses to win a case or get the charges mitigated. Call today and set up a consultation with a well-versed legal professional.