Providing Alcohol to Minors Attorney in Ocean County

Toms River NJ Providing Alcohol To Minors Defense Lawyers

New Jersey drinking laws are strict and the punishments for violating them are severe. There are a variety of offenses that fall within this category, ranging from underage drinking to driving while intoxicated (DWI) and possession of a fake ID. While one might assume that a person who drinks alcohol underage will be charged with a criminal offense, New Jersey also criminalizes the act of providing alcohol to minors. In other words, if you are accused of buying alcohol for a person under 21, hosting a party where underage people are served alcohol, or selling alcohol to a person who is not yet legal, you can be charged with a crime and exposed to serious consequences, including jail time. At the Law Offices of William Proetta Criminal Law, our practice is dedicated entirely to defending individuals charged with criminal offenses throughout Ocean County and New Jersey. We use our extensive experience to help clients successfully resolve cases in Lavallette, Brick, Manchester, Jackson, Seaside Heights, Long Beach Township, and surrounding Jersey Shore communities. If you have been charged with providing alcohol to minors or another alcohol-related offense, contact our Toms River offices today at (848) 238-2100 for a free consultation with an Ocean County criminal defense attorney.

Providing Alcohol to Minors in New Jersey: N.J.S.A. 2C:33-17

Charges for providing alcohol to minors are explained in section N.J.S.A. 2C:33-17 of the New Jersey Criminal Code. The statute is provided, in pertinent part, below for your convenience:

§ 2C:33-17. Availability of alcoholic beverages to underaged, offenses

Anyone who purposely or knowingly offers or serves or makes available an alcoholic beverage to a person under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages or entices or encourages that person to drink an alcoholic beverage is a disorderly person.

A person who makes real property owned, leased or managed by him available to, or leaves that property in the care of, another person with the purpose that alcoholic beverages will be made available for consumption by, or will be consumed by, persons who are under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages is guilty of a disorderly persons offense.

Penalties for Providing Alcohol to a Minor in NJ

As mentioned above, providing alcohol to a minor in New Jersey is a disorderly persons offense, which exposes the defendant to up to 6 months in the county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, and a charge on their criminal record which can only be removed through the process of expungement five years after the date of conviction.

*It is important to note that there are several exceptions included under this law. First, a parent is allowed to provide alcohol to his or her child if they are participating in a religious observance, ceremony or rite. Also, a person may provide alcohol to a minor in his or her home if the minor’s parent or guardian is present and gives their permission.

Contact a Lavallette NJ Providing Alcohol to Minors Attorney for Immediate Assistance

If you or a loved one has been charged with providing alcohol to minors in Ocean County or elsewhere in New Jersey, contact the Toms River offices of William Proetta Criminal Law to learn more about your charges and legal options. Our Ocean County criminal defense lawyers are available 24/7 and we provide initial consultations free of charge.

To learn more about New Jersey’s Underage Drinking Laws, view the New Jersey State Profile provided by the New Jersey Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.