If I’m arrested for underage DUI, will I automatically be convicted?

So many people here in Southern California have no idea that if they’re found to even have a tiny amount of alcohol or drugs in their system while driving, they can be charged for underage DUI. Maybe you had just one beer at a graduation or after-prom party… but then, before you even knew what was going on, you felt the ominous click of handcuffs on your wrists.

If you’re under 21 and you’re found to have any alcohol or drugs in your body while driving, you’ll be arrested for underage 21.

But that doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be convicted!

Call Attorney Dan Chambers, Southern California’s top underage DUI defense attorney, for a free consultation ASAP after your arrest. You’ll get all the most pertinent information you need and expert advice to avoid a conviction in your case.

Underage DUI is almost always an infraction

One piece of good news – though it’s important to prevent conviction in your underage DUI case as much as possible, if you are convicted, it won’t be part of your permanent record. That’s because according to California law, an underage DUI is an infraction – not a misdemeanor or felony – in almost every case. Infractions never result in jail time.

However, if you injured or killed someone while DUI, your charge could be upgraded to a misdemeanor or felony, but in the majority of cases, underage DUI is treated as an infraction.

Repercussions of underage DUI

Consequences of underage DUI conviction include a minimum 1-year license suspension, you’ll have to pay a fine, and you’ll probably have to attend DUI classes and/or counseling sessions. Your future will also be impacted – you’ll have to report your DUI conviction on college and job applications, just like an adult would. You’ll also have to face the social and familial stigma of having a DUI conviction on your record.

The most effective step you can take to prevent a conviction in your underage DUI case is to contact Attorney Dan Chambers of the Chambers Law Firm at your earlier conviction. At your first consultation (which is free), he’ll study the details of your case and let you know what the most likely outcome will be. Then he’ll start formulating a solid defense strategy to ensure a conviction doesn’t happen – or if that’s not possible, to make sure you don’t receive the maximum penalties.