Juvenile Court vs Adult Court

If you or a loved one has been charged with the possession of alcohol under California Business and Professions (CBP) Section 25662, you should immediately contact Orange County Juvenile Crimes Attorney William Weinberg to defend you. You should not take a possession of alcohol charge under this section lightly as it is a misdemeanor offense that carries a maximum fine of $250, as well as completion of 24 to 36 hours of community service. Having a misdemeanor conviction means that an individual will have a criminal record. This criminal record can lead to the individual losing his current job, facing difficulty finding a new job, facing difficulty with college admission, as well as facing a difficult time obtaining a professional license. So, if you have been charged with a misdemeanor minor in possession of alcohol, you should immediately contact Mr. Weinberg to begin working on a defense strategy. Mr. Weinberg has represented countless minors charged with possessing alcohol, so he the experience necessary to achieve the best results for you.

California Business and Professions Code Section 25662 makes it a crime for a minor (someone older than 18 but under 21) to have in his possession alcohol in any public place, street, or highway. Essentially, this section makes it a crime to have alcohol in a public place and to transport alcohol on a public highway or street. An individual who is caught with alcohol in his possession for the first time faces a misdemeanor charge and, if convicted, can be sentenced to 24 to 36 hours of community service, as well as a fine of up to $250.

Since this law makes it a crime for a minor to possess alcohol, you do not need to be drinking alcohol to be convicted of this crime. Merely having a container that contains alcohol is sufficient for the prosecution to convict you of possession of alcohol. For example, if you're caught with a can of beer that you were holding for a friend while he was using the restroom, the prosecution can convict you of possession of alcohol. For the purpose of public place, this term refers to any place visited by the public. For example, if you had an alcohol container at a shopping mall, park, street, or any other place that is open to the public, you can be charged with and convicted of alcohol possession.

If you have been charged with minor in possession of alcohol, there are a variety of defenses that your attorney can make to defend you. For example, the law explicitly states that a minor delivering alcohol in accordance with a request to do so by his parent or legal guardian cannot be convicted of a minor in possession charge. The same applies if the minor was transporting alcohol in the course of his employment (as part of his job). Also, if you were in possession of alcohol in a private place, such as your own home, your attorney can argue that you should not be convicted of alcohol possession because the law only applies to a minor possessing alcohol in a public place.

If the prosecution convicts a minor (someone who is 18 or older but under 21) of a first offense for the possession of alcohol, the individual faces 24 to 36 hours of community service, as well as fine of up to $250. That said, for minors with a previous conviction for minor in possession of alcohol, the minor faces 36 to 48 hours of community service, as well as a fine of up to $500. The community service must be related to an alcohol or drug treatment facility or at the coroner's office. So, if you or a loved one has been charged with possessing alcohol, you should immediately contact Orange County juvenile crimes lawyer William Weinberg to defend you. Mr. Weinberg has years of experience defending minors who have been charged with this crime.

In addition to the penalties we just mentioned, a minor who is convicted of possessing alcohol in public as a minor will lose his driver's license for one year under California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 13202.5. If the minor had a driver's license at the time of being convicted for the possession of alcohol in public, his license would be suspended for 12 months. If the minor did not yet have his driver's license, he would be forced to wait for 12 months to obtain it. So, to avoid having to deal with these consequences and for the best possible results, contact Orange County juvenile crimes lawyer William Weinberg. Mr. Weinberg has defended countless minors charged with the possession of alcohol, so he knows how to best approach every case to achieve the best possible results.

Again, if you or a loved one has been charged with minor in possession of alcohol, you should promptly contact juvenile crimes attorney William Weinberg to defend you or your minor. This crime is a misdemeanor, meaning it will have a negative impact on you or the future of your child. To achieve the best possible results, contact Mr. Weinberg to defend you or your minor. Mr. Weinberg has the knowledge and experience necessary to achieve the best possible outcome in your case. Schedule your free consultation today by emailing us at bill@williamweinberg.com or by calling us at (949) 474-8008.