Student Defense in Mountain Brook

College is a time for exploration, discovery, and learning. While some of that will happen in classrooms, much of it will be personal growth that happens everywhere except the lecture halls. Through many new experiences and mistakes, students often discover who they want to be and what their limits are both physically and emotionally.

Unfortunately, some of those mistakes may have consequences, and some lessons are only learned after unwittingly violating the law. Since most college students are legal adults, criminal charges can have a permanent impact on their life and should be treated as such.

If you are a student charged with a criminal offense, a Mountain Brook student defense attorney may be able to help you protect your rights and interests. Get in touch with a skilled criminal defense attorney in Alabama to begin your defense today.

It is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to possess, purchase, consume, or transport alcoholic beverages. Furthermore, it is against the law to use a nongenuine, false, or forged driver’s license or other form of government identification when purchasing or possessing—or attempting to purchase or possess—alcohol.

Attempting to use a fake ID in these manners can be punished with a fine ranging from $100 to $1,000. A second conviction may be punished with the same fines, as well as a mandatory minimum of three months of imprisonment and a maximum of six months.

Subsequent convictions are punishable by fines and imprisonment for at least six months but no longer than one year. Mountain Brook student defense attorneys are necessary to explain the potential penalties that could result for a charge such as this.

In Mountain Brook, possession only requires that the accused exert control over the substance. Practically, that means a student could be charged with possession for having an illegal substance in a backpack, in their pockets, in their vehicle, or in their dorm room.

The penalties associated with possession of illegal drugs depend on the criminal background of the student, the type and amount of drug alleged to be possessed, and the age of the defendant.

If a student is a legal adult and has not been previously charged with possession, the penalty for possessing less than two pounds of marijuana may be a fine of up to $6,000 and incarceration for one year. The penalties may be enhanced to fines of up to $15,000 and incarceration for 10 years, if the amount possessed exceeds two pounds.

The penalties for possession increase when a student is charged with possession of more dangerous drugs. If a student is charged with possession of up to 500 grams of cocaine, heroin, and/or methamphetamine, they can be charged with a Class C Felony, which can be penalized with fines of up to $50,000 and up to 10 years imprisonment.

In addition to any criminal charges faced by a student arrested in Mountain Brook, police in college towns may report arrests to the student’s school, which may levy its own penalties. Most college handbooks specify conditions under which a student could be suspended or expelled following criminal charges and/or convictions.

Needless to say, proper representation in the face of criminal charges can be of grave importance to a college student’s future and career prospects. Consult with an experienced Mountain Brook student defense lawyer today to make sure your rights are protected. Call today.