Penalties for Norfolk Underage DUI Charges

The penalties for someone charged with a DUI while under the age of 21 can be very harsh. Their license will be mandatorily suspended for 12 months with the possibility of a restricted license. They also have the possibility of a treatment or education program and then they either have a mandatory minimum fine of $500 or community service of 50 hours. The outcome can largely be influenced by someone’s criminal defense, which is why it is important to have a dedicated Norfolk underage DUI lawyer to help guide them through the process.

Effects of an Underage DUI on Your License

Someone who is charged with a DUI will face an administrative suspension, which means that their license is suspended due to the charge. If they end up not being convicted then the suspension goes away. If they do get convicted then their license will remain suspended for 12 months.

Getting a Restricted License

A person’s Norfolk underage DUI attorney would just have to request a restricted license in the hearing for the charge. Usually the judge will ask the defendant in court if they work, go to school, have children in daycare, required transportation and medical services or if they go to church. A lawyer can help someone to better understand how these questions are pertinent to their case. Based on a person’s answers to these questions the judge will grant a restricted license with certain parameters.

Future Implications

A conviction for an underage DUI can be extremely detrimental to anybody. It’s a criminal conviction, which means that it will have to be disclosed on most college applications and a lot of job applications as well. For someone who is under 21 and in school, there could be additional consequences in their university or they can even lose the opportunity to apply to certain scholarships or grants because of the conviction.

There’s also the inconveniences of having a suspended license, the increased insurance rates and the requirements that are going to take up time and will require transportation too.

Jail Alternatives for Someone Under 21

Generally, the alternative option to jail time is community service. This is an option most of the time unless the circumstances surrounding the charge were really bad or the BAC was 0.08 or higher or if the driver has a prior record. If someone was doing everything else right then generally a judge won’t have an issue with the the individual doing community service instead of spending time in jail.

There aren’t any special requirements as long as the person charged is generally doing everything else right. If they have a really high BAC then they’re probably not going to be eligible or if they have a prior record of similar charges or even other charges then they probably won’t be eligible either. Speak with an experienced Norfolk underage DUI attorney to discuss a specific case.

What to Expect if Your Child Has Been Charged

From the beginning it’s important for the parents to know what the implications of an underage DUI are for their child’s present and future situations. Anything that results in a criminal record is definitely a big deal and it’s not something that they should just be seeing as a way to teach their kid a lesson with. The reality is that the consequences of a Norfolk underage DUI conviction will follow someone for the rest of their life. In the short term, the penalties are still really harsh with jail time being a strong possibility. There are also the time commitments of community service and treatment programs and also increased insurance premiums and a license suspension.

Parents should be aware that their child does not have to sit back and accept the conviction because there are a lot of things that someone can be doing before court to help themselves, such as finding an experienced underage DUI attorney in Norfolk. Parents play a huge role in helping their child to succeed in this aspect. It’s important for them to be involved and to take it seriously.