A DUI arrest can derail the education and future career of your college-aged child. You do not want your son facing extreme punishment for a mistake he made on a night sidetracked from his studies.
This is concerning. DUI is a serious charge for anyone, potentially leading to jail, excessive fines, restitution, and loss of driving privileges. For a college student, the sting may get even worse with expulsion from school and loss of scholarships and financial aid. You do not want any of these scenarios:
Remain Supportive, Retain an Attorney
Here are some crucial steps to take if your college-aged child faces a DUI conviction:
- Remain Supportive: Your child is going through a difficult time on this emotional roller coaster. Leave any judgments aside. A mistake happened. Now, it is time to overcome that mistake.
- Learn About the Arrest: Find out details about what happened at the traffic stop. What did the arresting officer say and do? Did your child take a field sobriety test or breath test? Discovering the details may help determine whether the officer made mistakes.
- Retain an Attorney: A skilled criminal defense attorney will guide you through the legal process and do his or her best to get the charge reduced or dismissed.
- Consider Enrolling Your Child in an Alcohol Rehabilitation Program: This represents a proactive step, and the court will recognize such an effort as a big step toward resolution.
- Prepare Your Child for the Courtroom Experience: Going before a judge can be intimidating. Make sure to let your child know what to expect and memorize the court schedule. You need to be on time.
Be proactive, supportive, and non-judgmental. Your son will eventually put this experience behind him, learning from it and moving on.
Overcoming a Mistake
You want to do your best to ensure that your college-aged child does not have a criminal conviction. A DUI arrest represents a mistake that your child made. You do not want him to pay for it for the rest of his life.