• 314.645.4400
  • Free Consultation
  • Call 24/7

Underage Alcohol Enforcement Around Colleges

Underage Alcohol Enforcement Around Colleges

The St. Louis area certainly has its fair share of colleges and universities. To name a few: UMSL, SLU, WashU, Webster University, St. Louis Community College, SIU Edwardsville, Harris Stowe, etc.

College and University students often don’t reach the drinking age until their third year. This opens them up to receiving criminal charges for a number of different offenses should they choose to engage in consuming alcohol before their 21st birthday. Some of these offenses are minor in possession (MIP – by actual possession or consumption), peace disturbance, disorderly contact, No Tolerance Driving (blowing over .02), etc. Obviously, a student could receive a Driving while Intoxicated (DWI) regardless of his or her age.

Further, if a person under the age of twenty-one were to be charged with an MIP while driving or a no tolerance (.02) while driving, they would be subject to a thirty day suspension with a sixty day limited driving privilege. There is a right to a hearing on these suspensions and it is important to contact experienced counsel to discuss your rights. There is a limited time frame to appeal so action should be taken immediately.

Lastly, if you are caught drinking underage on campus or at a campus sponsored event, it is possible that you will be subject to school discipline. Every school has a different code of conduct that can have different thresholds or punishments. As a student, it is important to know what rights you have during school disciplinary hearings or conferences. Be sure to read and understand your school’s code of conduct.