Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor in the State of Texas
Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor Attorney, Austin Texas
CONTACT US AT 512-457-5200
While it is a crime to consume alcohol when under the age of 21, it is also illegal to provide or sell alcohol to a minor. Furnishing alcohol is a standard charge, particularly in areas populated by college students. Examples of individuals who frequently face furnishing alcohol to underage age drinkers charges are bartenders, gas station attendants, liquor store owners, and party hosts. If you have a party where alcohol and people under the age of 21 are both present, and someone calls law enforcement, the State may charge you with furnishing alcohol to a minor. It is your responsibility to know the age of individuals who consume the alcohol you provide.
If the State has charged you or someone you with the crime of furnishing alcohol to a minor, an experienced attorney can help improve the outcome of your case. Attorney Jason Trumpler has 20-years of criminal law experience and has successfully represented thousands. Contact our office today at 512-457-5200.
Potential Consequences
For many, partying, drinking, and college go hand-in-hand. It is, of course, illegal for anyone to consume alcohol or possess alcohol when underage, but the law also seeks to deter individuals from providing alcohol to minors.
Typically, furnishing alcohol to a minor is a Class A Misdemeanor, which is punishable by:
- Up to 1-year in county jail; and,
- $4,000 fine.
The court can also probate or defer this sentence, which means hold this sentence over your head and place you on community supervision. Standard terms of community supervision typically include:
- Community service;
- An alcohol awareness or TABC class; and,
- A fine.
An important thing to note is that an individual must make an alcoholic beverage available to a minor either intentionally or with criminal negligence. Negligence in a legal sense means that you did not take reasonable steps to ensure that the individual was of age, such as asking for an ID. In this example, if you did ask for an ID, but the ID presented was fake to a believable degree, the minor in question might be responsible for any crime committed.
Contact Us at 512-457-5200
A strong legal defense can significantly increase your chances of getting your case reduced or dismissed. Jason Trumpler is an aggressive criminal defense attorney who is committed to obtaining the best possible outcome on his clients' cases. He currently practices in Travis, Williamson, Hays, Lee, Bastrop, Burnet, and Caldwell counties. Contact our office today at 512-457-5200
