Seattle Minor DUI Lawyer

WHAT IS “DRIVER UNDER 21 CONSUMING ALCOHOL?”

“Driver Under 21 Consuming Alcohol” also known as “Minor DUI” is a criminal charge with potential jail sentence and fine, as well as a license suspension.

A person can be found guilty of Minor DUI if he or she is under the age of 21 and, within 2 hours of operating a motor vehicle, had an alcohol concentration at or above .02 or THC concentration above 0.00. It is not necessary for the minor driver to be intoxicated or show signs of impairment to be charged with a Minor DUI. Please see RCW 46.61.503 for all elements of this crime.

Minor DUI is a misdemeanor.

Call our firm today at (206) 771-4343 to speak to a Seattle Minor DUI lawyer today

PENALTIES FOR “DRIVER UNDER 21 CONSUMING ALCOHOL”

As one can imagine, penalties for a Minor DUI conviction are not as severe as penalties for a regular Drunk Driving charge. First, a Minor DU does not carry a mandatory jail term and a mandatory fine. A regular Drunk Driving charge does.

Second, a Minor DUI conviction carries a maximum jail term of 90 days and a $1,000. This is substantially lower than a regular Drunk Driving charge which carries up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.

A Minor DUI is not considered a “prior” DUI for the purposes of mandatory penalty enhancements in the event there is a future DUI charge.

Speak to a Seattle Driver Under 21 Consuming Alcohol attorney today at (206) 771-4343

LICENSE SUSPENSION IN “DRIVER UNDER 21 CONSUMING ALCOHOL” CASES

If a driver is arrested for a Minor DUI, the Washington State DOL will suspend his or her driver’s license. For the first offense the suspension of Minor’s driver’s license is 90 days. For subsequent offenses, the suspension is 1 year or until the minor turns 21 years old, whichever is longer.

The license suspension goes into effect on the 30th day following the arrest unless the driver, within 7 days of the arrest, requests a hearing to contest the license suspension. We always recommend that the drivers speaks to a Seattle Minor DUI lawyer immediately following the arrest to discuss the consequences and course of action.

Call us today at (206) 771-4343