Underage DUI in Kirkland

A minor DUI, which is loosely as a minor operating a vehicle with a BAC over .02 but below .079, or any measurable amount of marijuana THC, is different from a regular DUI (Driving Under the Influence). If a minor is meets the minimum charging threshold of a DUI, they will be charged with drunk driving. But, if their BAC is over .02 and below .08, they may be charged with a minor DUI. One of the most damaging aspects of a minor DUI is obtaining a criminal record at an early age. This can damage the opinion of their character and haunt them in ways that are not initially evident.

If you are a parent reviewing this page, you should do everything you can to avoid a conviction if your child has been charged with a Kirkland minor DUI. The dedicated Kirkland minor DUI attorneys at the Law Office of Jason S. Newcombe want to help, so please contact our Eastside King County law offices at your earliest convenience. Our criminal attorneys are experienced and aggressive advocates for those charged with driving crimes.

If a Kirkland motorist under 21 years of age is caught driving with a blood alcohol content of .02 or more or any measurable amount of marijuana THC, they can and will likely be charged with a minor DUI if they are not charged with the more serious “adult” DUI, which typically requires a BAC of .08 or greater or a blood draw resulting in an allegation of having over five nanograms of THC per milliliter in their blood. If convicted of this misdemeanor crime, they could be facing serious sentencing and long-term personal consequences. They could be required to spend up to 90 days in jail, pay fines totaling $1,000, as well as suffer other discretionary penalties tacked on by a judge.

Our Kirkland minor DUI lawyers are often called by young people who have pled guilty to minor DUI and have come to regret that choice. They ask if there is any possible way our lawyers can redress the situation and purge the event from their record. Unfortunately, once a minor DUI conviction is handed down, there often isn't anything that can be done to reverse the lasting damage.

The reason they ask is because landlords, creditors, and employers routinely check the criminal histories of applicants. A criminal record makes it challenging for young people with minor DUI convictions to receive equal treatment. If an employer or landlord is given the choice between an applicant with a clean criminal record and another with a minor DUI conviction, whom do you think they will ultimately choose?

One moment of poor judgment in a young person’s life can derail it permanently, which hardly seems fair. Our Kirkland minor DUI attorneys will aggressively defend young clients facing these charges. We believe that one youthful error in judgment should not haunt someone for the rest of their life.

Contact our Kirkland DUI and drunk driving law offices today if you or your child has been charged with a minor DUI. You have only 20 days after the minor DUI arrest to request an administrative hearing with the Department of Licensing. Our Kirkland criminal defense lawyers will need time to scrutinize your case and prepare your defense.

It should also be noted that a DUI conviction in Washington can make it difficult, if not impossible, to travel to Canada for a number of years. It is often hard to know if someone under age 21 will be charged by the prosecutor’s office under the minor or underage criminal DUI statute, or the more serious “adult” DUI statute, which is a gross misdemeanor. And, if it’s the later, traveling to Canada can be a major problem for years to come if the case results in a DUI conviction. And, for those of us living near the US/Canada border, this makes a DUI conviction even more disastrous.

Contact our law office today for a free consultation, and let one of our Kirkland minor DUI attorneys use their experience to aggressively defend your legal rights. If your child has also been charged with a regular DUI, their defense becomes even more challenging, so you do not have time to lose.