Underage Drinking and Fake ID Charges Dismissed

A college student at Washington and Jefferson College was recently charged with underage drinking and carrying a fake ID. Underage drinking is a summary offense, and in Pennsylvania that carries an automatic 90-day license suspension. Carrying a fake ID carries an additional 90 days of suspended driving privileges. As an education major, she was worried about jeopardizing her chances at going to grad school or finding employment related to education with a criminal conviction. She was also extremely mortified because this was the first time she had been in trouble, having never even gotten a traffic ticket before.

Our client was at a concert with some friends, holding a beer can in her hand. Undercover liquor control board agents approached her and asked her for her ID. She handed them a fake ID that was clearly fabricated. Since she was caught red handed, we had to negotiate carefully when building her defense. We attended two court dates on our client’s behalf in Washington County. Initially, our Washington criminal attorneys appeared at the magistrate’s office where we were met with stiff resistance from law enforcement and the judge. Our client was scared but we explained that sometimes an appeal process is necessary to resolve a case favorably.

Our client took our advice, and on appeal we worked out an agreement with the prosecution in Washington County Court of Common Pleas, where our client’s entire case was ultimately dismissed. Following the dismissal, her record was expunged. She will not have to explain these charges to a potential employer or graduate school admissions office.

Case results depend upon a variety of factors unique to each case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any future case.