Minor in Possession on Fake Patty’s Day

Tomorrow is the big Fake Patty’s Day celebration!  If you are a minor and you are caught drinking or carrying alcohol by the Riley County Police it is likely that you will end up with a Minor in Possession/Consumption (MIP or MIC). A run in like this with law enforcement can be a real damper to the rest of your Fake Paddy’s celebration.   

If you are a minor here are some things you may want to keep in mind with regard to MIP or MIC:

1. Do not take an open container or a closed container of alcohol ANYWHERE. If an officer finds you, he can cite you for a Minor in Possession.
2. If you are at a house party that seems to be getting out of hand and you think the cops may arrive soon, LEAVE. Even if you are not drinking, you could be charged with a Minor in Possession (MIP). If you are drinking and the owner of the house is of lawful age to drink, they could be charged with Supplying to a Minor and you could be cited for a Minor in Consumption (MIC). Hosting to a minor could lead to a fine up to $1,000.00.
3. Avoid the bar scene. Getting caught with a fake I.D. could lead to a Possession of a False Identification and may be a serious felony. You could also be charged with Attempting to Purchase Alcohol. Do not ask to borrow your friends I.D. this could also get them in trouble with the law.

So as a reminder, try not to drink in excess this weekend and obey the law. If you are underage, you are more likely to get an MIC/MIP on Fake Paddy’s then most other days out of the year.  If you do find yourself in need of legal assistance, contact a Manhattan, KS attorney for a consultation in your case.

DUI Lawyer - Junction City and Manhattan Kansas

Weather is getting colder and the holiday's are fast approaching here in Manhattan, Kansas.  With the holidays comes celebration and good cheer and also alcohol.  It's easy to have too many glasses of wine with Thanksgiving dinner or one too many sips of Scotch afterward.  It can only take a couple drinks to reach the .08% blood alcohol level that can lead to a DUI.

Unfortunately, even if you think you're good to drive and haven't had much to drink, you may be asked to take a preliminary breath test if you get pulled over.  Many who don't know if they would pass or not will refuse out of fear and out of hope that the officer will just let them go.  Typically if you've been offered a preliminary breath test and you refuse you will be arrested anyway.  The other side of this is that if you do blow and it shows that you are above a .08% then you WILL be arrested for suspicion of DUI.

If you suspect you or one of your family members have had too much to drink, even if it's just two or three drinks, it's better to air on the side of caution.  A few of the many misconceptions about drinking is that water, coffee, or food will "sober you up" and then you'll be fine.  The truth is none of these activities will reduce your blood alcohol in any way.  Only time and your metabolism can remove alcohol, and alcohol's effects, from your body.  Driving under the influence can result in a range of punishments, not the least of which is losing your driver's license and paying a large fine.

If you or a loved on find yourself in trouble for driving under the influence in Manhattan or Junction City, Kansas it is best to contact an attorney immediately.  The sooner an attorney from the Manhattan or Junction City area can get on the case, the more help they are likely to offer.

Contact a Manhattan, Kansas attorney for a free consultation for your DUI.  Remember - you have 14 days to take action to preserve your driving privileges. 

Don't Just Settle for a Diversion for a DUI

When you get a DUI in Manhattan, KS, Riley County, Geary County, or the surrounding areas, it's important to know that by entering into a diversion you agree to be found guilty if you don't successfully complete your diversion.  This means that if you fail to abide by the terms of diversion, you will likely get the full punishment of being found guilty of DUI.

Before you agree to a diversion, you should have a DUI attorney obtain discovery on your case to evaluate whether your rights haven been violated.  Otherwise, you might forgo your right to a trial when a trial would have been in your best interest.

Even if it turns out that, after review of the discovery, you still want to pursue a diversion, knowing that you have looked at the facts and circumstances surrounding your arrest will give you piece of mind to know that diversion was the right choice for you.

Contact a Manhattan, KS attorney today for assistance and a free consultation so you can know the options you have before you waive or forgo your rights.

New Kansas DUI Law

On July 1st of this year a new DUI law in Kansas came into effect.  This law changes the charges for refusing to provide a blood, breath, or alcohol test when you have a prior DUI charge or DUI diversion.

Now, when you refuse a blood alcohol sample, and it's been less than 10 years since your alcohol related driving infraction the first time it's a misdemeanor.  The second time, a felony.  This compounds your problems considerably because now, you have a DUI, an traffic infraction from failing or refusing a Preliminary Breath Test, AND a misdemeanor or felony if you refuse to incriminate yourself by providing a blood alcohol sample.

If you have a DUI or other alcohol related charge, it's important to contact an attorney to help explore your options and determine if your rights have been violated.  Contact a lawyer in Manhattan, KS to help you evaluate your case.