Defending an Underage Drinking and Driving Case

 Posted on November 05, 2024 in DUI/OWI

Halloween is one of the biggest drinking and driving nights of the year - especially for teenagers and adults under 21 years old. If you are currently facing charges after a Halloween celebration got out of hand, you are not alone. However, getting a DUI while you are still in high school or college can get in the way of your goals. Courts often worry that people who are drinking and driving as juveniles or before reaching their 21st birthdays may be going down the wrong path in life, leading to consequences that actually interfere with your path in life. If you or your teenage child is facing DUI or OWI charges, you need the help of an experienced Waukesha County, WI juvenile criminal defense lawyer.

Avoiding Adult Court if You Are a Juvenile 

If you are not yet 18 years old, your attorney’s first goal will be making sure you are charged as a juvenile and your case stays in juvenile court. Having your case handled entirely in juvenile court offers numerous advantages. Juvenile court judges are more used to working with high school students and handling sentencing in a way that does not interfere with their educations. Minors in juvenile court can also worry less about their cases following them into adulthood.

However, juvenile cases can still interfere with college admissions, so it is important to fight back instead of just pleading guilty.

Minors are given increased protections when it comes to how they can be questioned after arrest. On a busy night like Halloween, the police may be too rushed to handle the arrest or questioning of a juvenile properly. In some cases, an experienced attorney can find a strong defense in how the police handled a minor’s case at the time of arrest.

Handling Drunk Driving Charges as an Underage Adult 

Facing DUI charges if you are at least 18 years old but not yet 21 years old can be slightly more challenging. The frustrating part is that you do not need to have been truly intoxicated, as you are still impacted by Wisconsin’s zero-tolerance policy - driving with any amount of alcohol in your body is enough to be convicted. Since you will be charged as an adult, a conviction can follow you for the rest of your life.

Your attorney will focus on finding the right defense strategy for you. Often, questioning the results of chemical testing is a sound strategy for people pulled over with very low B.A.C.s, as many different types of errors can lead to a breathalyzer or blood test detecting alcohol where none was necessarily present.

Contact a Waukesha County, WI Underage DUI Lawyer 

Bucher Law Group, LLC is dedicated to providing juveniles and young adults with the best defense possible. Experienced Waukesha, WI underage DUI attorney Paul E. Bucher will work to find the right defense strategy for you. Contact us at 262-303-4916 for a free consultation.