Defense of Alcohol-Related Offenses in North Carolina
Many alcohol laws in North Carolina are intended to keep underage people from drinking and driving, and college and university students throughout the state can find themselves in serious trouble if convicted of violating these laws. Most students at campuses in the Raleigh-Durham area are over 18, and therefore subject to punishment as adults for criminal violations, but undergraduates under 21 are still too young to purchase or possess alcoholic beverages. If you need advice about resolving criminal matters related to underage drinking, contact an experienced defense lawyer at the office of Rudolf E. Renfer, Attorney & Counselor at Law, P.A.
North Carolina's drunk driving policy for people under 21 is strictly zero tolerance: any measurable blood alcohol concentration can be the basis of a DWI. The mere smell of alcohol on the breath of an underage driver will also normally support a drunk driving arrest. Raleigh criminal defense attorney Rudy Renfer can advise young defendants and their parents about the consequences and options for resolving DWI, minor in possession, fake ID and other alcohol-related charges involving defendants under 21.
Our law firm also handles cases involving older persons charged with furnishing alcohol to minors. If a 22-year-old senior at UNC or NC State provides beer or liquor to an underage student, revocation of the older student's driver's license upon conviction is a new punishment recently enacted by the North Carolina legislature.
There are many institutions of higher learning in the Raleigh-Durham area, and underage drinking arrests are common at many of them. Our firm represents college students arrested for DWI or unlawful possession of alcohol at such schools as the following:
- University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
- North Carolina State University
- Duke University
- North Carolina Central University
- Campbell University
We will carefully examine the circumstances of your case to identify every opportunity to resolve the matter on the least damaging terms possible given your situation. For non-driving offenses, pretrial diversion can lead to the ultimate dismissal of the case. For more serious offenses, we will develop and present your defense on the strength of our long experience with plea negotiations and jury trials.
For further information about our ability to represent your interests effectively in a case of underage drinking or DWI in North Carolina, contact the office of Rudolf E. Renfer, Attorney & Counselor at Law, P.A. in Raleigh.
