Top Glen Head, NY Minor in Possession Lawyers Near You
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123-60 83rd Avenue, Suite 1T, Kew Gardens, NY 11415
Law Office of Luke Scardigno helps clients in the Glen Head area handle cases involving Minor in Possession.
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521 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1729, New York, NY 10175
Contact The Law Office of Jeffrey Chabrowe in Glen Head, New York for experienced legal assistance in Minor in Possession.
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16 Court Street, Suite 3500, Brooklyn, NY 11241
Getting legal representation for your Minor in Possession issue is easier than you think. Let Law Offices of Samuel Gregory P.C. in Glen Head, New York help you today.
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176 Lexington Ave, Suite O, New York, NY 10016
1 Dosoris Lane, Glen Cove, NY 11542
26 Court Street, Suite 2306, Brooklyn, NY 11242
7 Times Sq, 44th Floor, New York, NY 10036
350 Motor Pkwy, Suite 308, Hauppauge, NY 11788
450 7th Ave, Suite 408, New York, NY 10123
888 Grand Concourse, #1-O, Bronx, NY 10451
260 Madison Ave., 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10016
411 Theodore Fremd Ave, Ste 206, Rye, NY 10580
527 Old Country Road, Plainview, NY 11803
1424 Zerega Ave, Bronx, NY 10462-5410
75 S Broadway, Fl 4, White Plains, NY 10601
100 Quentin Roosevelt Bld, Ste 511, Garden City, NY 11530
950 Third Ave, Suite 2400, New York, NY 10022
45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111-0100
1225 Franklin Avenue, Suite 325, Garden City, NY 11530
299 Broadway, Suite 1400, New York, NY 10007
350 Broadway, Suite 1201, New York, NY 10003
700 White Plains Road, Suite 237, Scarsdale, NY 10583
136-18 39th Ave, 8th FL, Flushing, NY 11354
38 Melnick Dr, Monsey, NY 10952
11 Broadway, Suite 615, New York, NY 10004
Glen Head Minor in Possession Information
Lead Counsel independently verifies Minor In Possession attorneys in Glen Head and checks their standing with New York bar associations.
Our Verification Process and Criteria
Ample Experience
Attorneys must meet stringent qualifications and prove they practice in the area of law they’re verified in.Good Standing
Be in good standing with their bar associations and maintain a clean disciplinary record.Annual Review
Submit to an annual review to retain their Lead Counsel Verified status.Client Commitment
Pledge to follow the highest quality client service and ethical standards.
How Do I Get a Minor in Possession?
Someone who is under the age of 21 can get a minor in possession (MIP) charge if they are found to be in possession of alcohol in public. In many cases, an MIP charge comes from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Examples of how someone gets a minor in possession charge include:
- Driver is pulled over with an open container of alcohol in the vehicle
- Police bust a party where underage people are drinking alcohol
- College student is caught with a flask of alcohol
- Underage person used a fake ID to buy beer from a convenience store
In general, it is against the law for someone under the age of 21 to consume or be in possession of alcohol. It is also against the law for someone to furnish alcohol to a minor or buy alcohol for someone under 21. The term “minor” generally refers to someone who is under the age of 18 and not an adult. However, minor in possession laws can still target an adult who is 18 years old but is still not of age to buy alcohol.
Some police activity involves searching for and busting minors who have an alcoholic beverage. However, most cases involving an MIP charge occur when the police are responding for some other reason and encounter a minor with alcohol in their possession, including:
- Traffic stops
- Car accidents
- Noise complaints
- Shoplifting
- Crisis response
- Assault
- Harassment
How Bad Is a Minor in Possession?
A minor in possession charge can be an infraction or a misdemeanor. In many cases, an MIP is treated as an infraction with a fine. As a misdemeanor, an MIP charge could but rarely involves jail time. The possible penalties involved with a minor in possession charge include:
- Jail time
- Fines
- Alcohol education program
- Community service
- Probation
- Driver’s license suspension
Does a Minor in Possession Affect Car Insurance?
In general, an MIP charge will not affect your car insurance. However, if you are found in possession of alcohol while driving and charged with an underage DUI, it may increase your insurance rates. A DUI can stay on your driving record for years and could impact your insurance premiums. Some car insurance companies will drop coverage and no longer insure someone after a DUI.
There is generally a zero-tolerance policy towards underage drinking and driving. An adult with a blood alcohol level of 0.08% may be considered impaired. However, drivers under the age of 21 can get an underage DUI with only a trace amount of alcohol in their system. If an MIP involves an underage drunk driving charge, it can affect the driver’s car insurance rates.
Will a Minor in Possession Show Up on a Background Check?
A background check can show the individual’s prior criminal history, including arrests, convictions, active warrants, and infractions. Someone may have to undergo a background check for employment, housing application, professional licensing, or to become a Lyft or Uber driver. In general, a prior conviction for a minor in possession will show up on a background check.
Some criminal charges can be expunged or sealed. A public background check may not show criminal charges that were expunged or where the individual’s records are sealed. However, law enforcement and government agencies have greater access to an individual’s criminal history than the public. The court or police department may still be able to see a prior minor in possession charge.
How Do I Avoid an MIP?
In some cases, a person is accused of being a minor in possession because the police officers don’t have evidence of any other crime. When someone under the age of 21 is found in the presence of alcohol, it is easy for the police to charge them with an MIP charge. The penalties may be small but it still can carry a criminal record. Before just paying the fine or pleading guilty, talk to a criminal defense attorney for legal advice.
There may not be a lot of evidence for the prosecutor, which is why prosecutors generally try and get a plea bargain. There are several possible legal defenses to an MIP charge, including:
- Someone else was in possession of the alcohol
- The alcohol was in the possession of an adult
- There was an emergency defense for calling the police
- The police conducted an unlawful search in violation of the defendant’s Fourth Amendment rights
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Minor in Possession in New York?
A minor in possession charge may not seem like a big deal but it can have long-term consequences. An MIP charge can show up on your criminal record. This may require you to declare the prior arrest and explain the situation. Even if it is not a major crime, it may not leave a good impression when you have to explain a prior criminal arrest. You may be able to avoid a criminal conviction with the help of an experienced criminal defense lawyer.