Drivers of any age can be charged with driving under the influence (DUI) in California. This means that your teen child could be arrested and accused of a DUI. Underage DUIs can lead to harsh penalties that can impact your child’s life for years to come.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help your teen child who is facing a DUI charge in California. Review your legal options with the Simmrin Law Group. Call us at (310) 896-2723 to start focusing on a defense for your child today.
Initial Steps to Help a Teen Facing a DUI Charge
Here at the Simmrin Law Group, we understand that you might not find out right away about a DUI arrest for your teen child. As soon as you become aware of the DUI charge, you should take some immediate steps.
It’s important that you seek legal representation for your child as quickly as possible. Your child does not have to answer legal questions without the presence of an adult and their legal representative. Getting legal help quickly ensure your child will have assistance:
- During interviews with prosecutors or police officers
- Assessing any plea bargains they are offered
- Deciding how to talk about their DUI accusation
Everything your child says can later be used against them. This means it’s important that underage drivers don’t discuss their DUI arrest with friends or on social media.
For a free legal consultation, call (310) 896-2723
Help Your Teen Understand the DUI Charges They’re Facing
It’s important that you understand that California has several DUI charges that can apply to underage drivers. In most cases, the charges that your child faces will depend upon their blood alcohol content (BAC) at the time of their arrest.
California has Zero Tolerance laws for underage DUIs. This means any driver under 21 with a BAC at or above 0.01% can face criminal charges. Generally, a conviction for a driver with a very low BAC will result in a one-year license suspension.
Young drivers with a BAC between 0.05% and 0.07% can face harsher charges that can lead to a license suspension and fines. Finally, underage drivers with a BAC over California’s legal limit for adults (0.07%) can end up dealing with more serious charges, leading to penalties such as:
- Up to $2,000 in fines
- Up to six months in jail if charged as an adult
- Up to one-year loss of a driver’s license
- Up to nine months of time in a DUI program
If your teen is charged as an adult in California court, it’s especially important that you reach out to a criminal defense lawyer in Los Angeles for help. You can call (310) 896-2723 to get fast help to build a defense for your child.
Get Assistance Handling Additional Teen DUI Repercussions
A teen DUI in California can have a number of other repercussions for your child’s life. Your child’s record will likely be sealed after they turn 18, but this is not always the case. If your child was charged as an adult, for example, the record can remain.
A past history of DUI charges can make it more difficult for your child to achieve admittance to the college of their choice. Additionally, some employers will not hire individuals with past convictions for a DUI.
Building a strong defense right away improves the odds that your child will avoid a DUI conviction in California. If your teen was already convicted, the professionals at the Simmrin Law Group can discuss options for expunging a DUI charge with you.
Dealing with Teen DUI Charges in California
The professionals at the Simmrin Law Group are ready to help you handle DUI charges for your teen child. We can work to:
- Argue that your child should not be charged as an adult
- Dispute the results of any BAC tests your teen took
- Work to get DUI charges lowered or even dismissed
Allow us to begin working on a strong defense for your teen child today. Our team will help you handle any legal hurdles your family faces after a DUI arrest in California.
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A Lawyer Can Help Your Teen Child Handle DUI Charges
You can help your teen child who is facing a DUI charge in California by contacting a legal professional as quickly as possible. The team at the Simmrin Law Group can begin working on your child’s case today. Reach out to us easily by completing our online contact form or calling (310) 896-2723.
Our team of DUI lawyers in Los Angeles can begin assisting you with a FREE consultation.
Call or text (310) 896-2723 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form