Can I provide alcohol to an underage drinker at my home?  What about at a place outside my home (hotel)?  What happens if the person gets intoxicated and hurts another?  Can I get in trouble?

In Illinois, social hosts of underage drinkers or establishments that provide alcohol to minors can face heavy fines and even jail time. Providing alcohol to minors not only includes serving alcohol to a minor at a restaurant, bar, or nightclub, but also includes hosting a party at your home where minors are being allowed to drink or purchasing a hotel room for minors to consume alcohol. 

If you knowingly host a gathering at a residence where minors are consuming alcohol or rent a hotel room for underage drinkers to consume alcohol, you can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. A Class A misdemeanor is punishable at minimum by a fine of $500 and at maximum one year in prison. If the intoxicated minors leave the premises and an alcohol-related fatality occurs, you can be charged with a  Class 4 felony. A Class 4 felony is punishable by a $25,000 fine and up to three years in prison.

If you are charged with a Class A misdemeanor or a Class 4 felony, contact the attorneys at John W. Callahan immediately. These kinds of charges can have serious consequences on your life and you will want a defense attorney who is both knowledgeable and willing to fight hard to defend you. Even if the state has overwhelming evidence against you, we may be able to negotiate a more favorable plea agreement than you could on your own. Contact John W. Callahan, Ltd. for representation.