Criminal Attorney Helps Those Facing Possession/Consumption Of Alcohol Under Legal Age (N.J.S.A. 2C:33-15) Charges Possession/Consumption of Alcohol Under Legal Age (N.J.S.A. 2C:33-15) in New Jersey is classified as a disorderly persons offense, which is comparable to a misdemeanor in other states. It is possible to get up to six months of jail time for conviction of a disorderly persons offense, but that would be extremely unusual for a minor caught possessing or drinking alcohol. The … [Read more...]

It’s illegal in New Jersey to obtain, possess, or consume alcohol if you are under the age of 21, so if an underage driver is stopped and is found to have a blood alcohol concentration as low as 0.01%, they can be charged with underage drunk driving under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.14. The statute is written to explicitly allow any penalties levied upon conviction to be in addition to any penalties that may flow from charges of underage drinking, misrepresenting one’s age to purchase alcohol, or other … [Read more...]

When a town has a separate ordinance for underage drinking and you are caught within that jurisdiction, you will be charged under the town ordinance. However, if you are caught in an area of the state with no ordinance, you'll be charged with a NJ state underage drinking offense. If you or a family member have been charged with underage drinking and are in need of legal help, please call Matthew Reisig for a free consultation at (888) 628-8394. … [Read more...]

I was charged with a violation of 2C:33-15 and he was charged with violating a town ordinance. Why the difference and does it matter in terms of the penalties we each face or having a criminal record if convicted? There are noticeable differences between being charged with 2C;33-15 and a "town ordinance" for the same conduct. 2C:33-15 prohibits possession and/or use of alcohol by someone under the legal age to do so. It is a disorderly persons offense which is also defined as a criminal … [Read more...]