By Allen, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer Kyle T. Therrian
Office Number: (972) 562-7549
24 Hr Jail Release: (214) 403-6522
www.rosenthalwadas.com

With a broad stroke, Section 106 of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code provides for a range of punishments applicable to most alcohol-related offenses by minors, including:

• Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor
• Possession of Alcohol by a Minor
• Misrepresentation of Age by a Minor

These alcohol-related offenses by minors are characterized as Class C Misdemeanors. This means that a minor charged with any of these listed offenses is issued a citation. Appearing on your court date and pleading guilty to the citation can trigger any or all of these four results:

1. A fine between $0 and $500
2. Community service – up to 12 hours
3. A driver’s license suspension
4. A permanent blemish on the individual’s criminal record.

As with most criminal offenses, the law has provided more than one way to resolve an alcohol related offense by a minor. Naturally, a trial is always an option with a criminal offense, however a criminal attorney can also help resolve a case without a trial. Should the prosecutor and/or judge be convinced that it would be in the best interest of all, the case may be resolved without a criminal conviction appearing on a record and without suffering a driver’s license suspension.

Section 106 also addresses repeat offenders by providing for more serious punishment when a criminal record indicates previous convictions or even deferred adjudications for the same offense.

• Minors with 2+ prior convictions face a $250 – $2,000 fine and/or up to 180 days in jail
• Period of Driver’s license suspension increases based on number of previous convictions
• Community service hours increase based on number of previous convictions

*Kyle Therrian is an attorney licensed to practice in the State of Texas. Nothing in this article is intended to be legal advice. For legal advice on any case you should contact an attorney directly.