Spring break for colleges means a boom to the economy of the entire state of Florida, many times including the local court systems with zero-tolerance policies for underage drinking by college students. Spring break presents a specific problem for all of Florida during the college break season, as colleges tend to stagger the break periods. The flock of young people who often come in groups of individuals that include some over 21 years of age and others under legal limits means that those drinking illegally are commonly interspersed with the students who are consuming legal. The chaos associated with this social event is often considered a right of passage by the students, but assuredly not the local police authorities when conducting an area Fort Lauderdale spring break arrest.
The St. Patrick’s Day group arrest by the Okaloosa Sheriff Department is a prime example of how the local court systems view this dilemma. The department arrested 14 underage students in the Destin area using their enhanced awareness police training that includes inspecting all containers of anyone who appears as underage and is in a group of individuals who are consuming alcohol. This may appear as a fine line of legality regarding age of the students, but an arrest can create significant difficulties in being bonded out of jail while being on break along with maximum fines as court policy. This is not a laughing matter to authorities, which was the reaction displayed by the students in the bus being carted off to jail.
The real truth about underage drinking charges is they can cause financial and criminal history damage to a student who otherwise would be more responsible when not enjoying a favorite component of the college experience. Convicted underage drinkers can assuredly learn a valuable lesson, especially when the event produces a criminal history that could impact the ability to use an education in the future. This is why it is so important to retain an experienced Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney following any regional Fort Lauderdale spring break arrest who knows the local court system and can serve as a solid legal counsel in reducing as much personal damage as possible.
It is a fact that local law authorities do have serious cases that arise from the volume drinking happening during spring break celebrations, but many of the students are commonly arrested on embellished testimony from officers with very little in the way of physical evidence when there is no other illegal behavior happening. The focus makes it a mission of the police to arrest as many as possible.
Anyone who has been arrested for underage drinking in southern Florida should contact the offices of Hassett & Associates in Miami for a full evaluation of your case potential.
