Teenage DUI in Tennessee

Brentwood DUI attorney fights to minimize penalties for teen drivers

A DUI conviction carries penalties that can follow you for years. A teenager who is convicted of a DUI can face life-altering penalties. The conviction can keep teens from winning scholarships, from being accepted into certain colleges, from getting internships and jobs, and more. Yet many teens aren’t able to think through the long-term consequences of their actions, and they make bad choices in the heat of the moment or as a result of peer pressure.

You may not be able to keep your teen from getting into trouble, but you can try to protect your teen’s future by getting them the best legal help you can. I’m Judy A. Oxford, a Brentwood DUI attorney who has spent years defending clients on drunken driving charges, including plenty of teenagers. I am committed to helping teens who are in legal trouble to try to give them a real second chance to move forward after their mistake. I work hard to either prove my client’s innocence or to minimize their liability, and I explore legal strategies to prevent conviction or to try to minimize the penalties.

What’s the legal limit for blood-alcohol content in teens?

When you think of the legal limit for blood-alcohol content when driving, you likely think of the standard of .08 percent. However, the rules are different for a person under the age of 21. A person under the age of 21 is guilty if they are caught driving with blood alcohol of .02 percent.

Many teens are surprised when they are charged with DUI because they only took a few sips of a beer at a party or had one drink. But their misunderstanding of the law will not help them evade punishment.

Legal consequences for a DUI for teens

If the person is 18 up to age 21, and is guilty of a DUI, they will lose their driving privileges for a year. They will also be charged a fine, and they’ll have to complete a community service program. They may also spend at least 48 hours in jail, and potentially more. Though these consequences may all seem manageable, it is important to remember that the long-term consequences are much more severe in terms of the opportunities they can deny the convicted offender.

There is an offense called “driving while impaired”, which is a lesser included offense for those under the age of 21. The punishment if the person is between 18 and 21 and convicted of driving while impaired is suspension of drivers license for 1 year, a fine of $250, and public service work at the discretion of the court. If the person is younger than 18, it is a delinquent act which carries the same punishment.

I help my clients by fighting to have the charges dismissed. When that is not possible, I fight to have them reduced. In some cases, that is possible through negotiation. At other times, I will argue the case in court.

Work with a Tennessee underage DUI lawyer who will fight to protect your teen’s future

Don’t let a mistake cost your teenager important future opportunities. Get legal help to deal with DUI charges. Contact me, Judy A. Oxford, an experienced Brentwood DUI attorney, to fight for your teen. Call my office at (615) 791-8511 to schedule a free consultation, or use the secure form on my website. I help you understand the legal options, and create a strategy for helping your teen.