If you are drinking before the age of 21, you could be arrested and charged with driving under the influence (DUI) if a law enforcement officer stops your car for any reason.
Maine follows a “zero tolerance policy” in regard to underage DUI. This means that although the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) for a driver 21 years or older is .08%, you will be charged with drunk driving if your BAC is measured and found to be above .00%.
Juvenile OUI charges are not the same as a traffic ticket and can result in suspended license, fines, probation and more. If you are arrested with a BAC over the legal limit for adults (.08%) and are under the age of 21, you will be subjected to the penalties of underage OUI and regular OUI charges.
Call 207-571-8146 or contact us online to schedule a consult with one of our highly skilled criminal defense attorneys today.
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Penalties for an Underage Drunk Driving Charge in Maine
All varieties of OUI charges in Maine should be taken seriously. An OUI conviction on your record can affect your chances when applying to jobs and educational institutions. You should always try to fight OUI charges. Just because you have been arrested does not mean that you are guilty.
- Automatic license suspension of at least 1 year
- Heavy monetary fines
- Community service
- Mandatory attendance of an alcohol education or treatment program
- Possible jail time
Your penalties will also be influenced by additional facts of your conviction, such as prior OUIs and additional aggravating factors, including property damage, injuries or fatalities caused, excessive speeding, and any other traffic violations. In addition, if any of your passengers are under the age of 21, you could be forced to serve a 48-hour jail sentence.
Contact a Juvenile OUI Defense Lawyer in Maine
Being charged with driving while intoxicated can turn into a lifelong problem and affect your ability to be accepted to college or secure scholarship awards. The charges are especially dire for those who are under the legal drinking age but over 17.
In these cases, offenders are most often tried as adults, which means you could face such penalties as enormous fines, license suspension, and time in jail, and you will suffer the consequences of having a criminal conviction on your record. Jobs and schools look at these records when deciding whom to hire or accept.
A criminal conviction of any kind can sometimes make the difference between acceptance and rejection. Contact our offices today to see how an experienced juvenile OUI lawyer can help you.
Call 207-571-8146 or contact us online to schedule a consult with one of our highly skilled criminal defense attorneys today.
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