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Question: What will happen if I am caught with alcohol (MIP) while I'm not driving and I have a clean record? How long will the MIP say on my permanent record?

Answer: The legal drinking age in Arizona is 21 years. However, a person is an adult at 18 years. A person over the age of 18 in possession will be charged with a misdemeanor and sentenced. A person under the age of 18 will be dealt with at the discretion of the arresting officer. No intoxicated person will be left to himself. His parents will be called, and if they are not available he or she will be taken to a juvenile facility.

There will be questions as to how you got the alcohol. If you bought it with a fake ID, this is another misdemeanor. If you solicited someone else to buy it, this is a misdemeanor and is more serious. You can lose your drivers' license or at the very least you may have to wait longer to get your license.

If you have applied for a guaranteed tuition scholarship for college in Arizona, you will lose this scholarship for the use of alcohol.

How long a misdemeanor stays on your record depends upon whether you are actually charged, or merely picked up and sent home. (This depends upon the arresting officer, and may depend upon whether you are actually very very drunk, or merely have a beer in your hand.) It depends upon whether you are a juvenile (under 18) at the time of your arrest, or are an adult. It depends upon whether your record stays clean following the arrest.

These are all the legal things. There are lots of extra legal things like how your family and friends feel when they know you've been cited with possession of alcohol, and whether you get anyone else in trouble at the same time you are cited.
Comments
6 thru 10 of 18 comments
On 08/31/04
surti from TX said:
Iam 2 months away from 18th birth day. i was at a party.cop were called out of peopel they arrested me and said i had a drink in my hand and threw away the container and cop said he found that container which had beer, whatwill be my punishment
On 05/17/04
Krista from KS said:
I got a M.I.C.( minor in consumpion),i was at a lake and a park and wildlife officer called my parents, but no there was no arrest or ticket. My b.a.c was only .008, what is going to happen to me?
On 04/12/04
Heather from MI said:
So there is no way that i can get my drivers lience taken away for getting an mip? right?
On 04/02/04
ashley from GA said:
i don't think people know what they are dealing with when they do drugs of any kind. I guess they just want to mess up there lifes and end up behind bars. an they don't want to have a family when they get older. I will tell u one thing i am praying for all of you today.
On 01/18/04
Stone from AZ said:
i received my second minor in posseion of alcohol, what can the penalty be.
6 thru 10 of 18 comments


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