Drug charges can be incredibly confusing, which is why you need to hire a professional should you ever be facing one. One such professional is Chris Kopecky, who is also founder and lead counsel of The Traffic Lawyers, P.A., based in Overland Park, Kansas, and serving Kansas, Missouri and Iowa. Here, he talks about what happens when there is a drug - or alcohol - charge involving a minor…
MIP stands for Minor in Possession, which typically refers to a minor who possesses alcohol or drugs. It does not necessarily have to do with a car as it can occur whether in a car or not.
Typically, we find these MIP charges occur at concerts or at sports functions because of the work undertaken by undercover officers. A more recent development has been undercover officers at grocery stores near college campuses watching to see if minors put beer in their grocery cart.
These charges can be serious and can follow you around for a long time. Not only will your driver’s license be suspended, regardless of whether or not you were stopped in your car, but also these charges could affect your ability to adopt a child in future, many years later. It is important that you resist the temptation to save money and go in and plead guilty on your own, expecting no jail time.
Minor in Consumption
MIC refers to Minor in Consumption, which is the law enforcement’s way of penalizing those people whom they are confident are under the influence of drugs, when they are not able to find any in their possession.
MICs are treated the same as MITs, the ramifications and the risk of losing your license are the same, but it’s far easier for law enforcement to prove. Law enforcement will typically ask for a breath test and use their observations of bloodshot eyes, incoherence, and other palpable alcohol influencers to make their determination.
Call The Traffic Lawyers and find out how we can help you through this difficult process, and potentially save you from falling victim to these long-term effects.
This article is for informational purposes only. You should not rely on this article as a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances, and you should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel. Publication of this article and your receipt of this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.
I have a 20 y/o son who was charged with possession of alcohol as a minor, along with three other college peers. The funny thing is he was not drinking, has never drank, but the officer and judge said it didn't matter because one can of beer was located next to one of the guys. They were on public property near a waterfront near the school. My son was guilty by association and had to pay $500 for alcohol education program and $185 to get this charge expunged. I didn't hear about this til now and am not too happy with our system. The system made over $2,500 with this “caught ya.” My son is almost 21 years old and I'm finding it difficult not to come to his defense. They're all good kids. Why couldn't the police give them a lecture, and let them move on. Caught with one beer, please….they were also handcuffed until their tickets were written and were a bit condescending. If an attorney reads this, I'd be interested with your thoughts. I always thought possession meant caught with one in your hand, or car. Even the judge told them he didn't agree with this law, and felt bad for them. Too bad the cops didn't see it that way. Quotas are important, I guess. sour grapes, or grossly unfair.
mary – April 16, 2010 , 2:00 AM