April 26, 2012 By Paul Wallin

If you are under 21 years old and are cited or arrested for what is called an “MIP” then you must do all you can to fight the charge. You should consult with a criminal defense attorney to see what may be possible in your case. The reason for this is that this offense in most cases is now an “infraction”. What this means is you can go to court and plead guilty to the offense and you will have a fine imposed. HOWEVER, WHAT THE COURT DOESN’T TELL YOU IS THAT WHEN THE COURT NOTIFIES THE DMV OF YOUR CONVICTION THEY WILL SUSPEND YOUR LICENSE FOR ONE YEAR.

Most young adults need their drivers license badly. If it were to be suspended they would be forced to choose between driving illegally (and thus subjecting them to a criminal charge of driving on a suspended license) or finding alternate transportation to be able to go to school and work, etc. This is why you should consult with a criminal defense law firm like Wallin and Klarich to see if there is some “alternative” available other than pleading guilty to the MIP, which would allow you to avoid the one year suspension of your driving privilege.

1 comment

  1. I recently appeared in the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach on an MIP case (Minor in Possession of Alcohol). My client did have a prior record. I convinced the District Attorney to dismiss the charges completely if my client performs 50 hours of community service. My client did exactly that and the case was dismissed. My client still has his drivers licence as it was never suspended.

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