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ToggleOn Monday, my law firm received a not guilty verdict at the trial of an ASU student’s minor in consumption of alcohol case. If this client did not hire an attorney, there is no way she would have been able to navigate the waters of a grueling trial. At the end of a two hour trial, the judge believed there was reasonable doubt that she had not consumed alcohol on the date in question.
Client Refused Breathalyzer and Denied Drinking
Our client was charged with underage drinking at an ASU tailgate party in September. The police profiled her because she looked young. Although she denied drinking and declined a portable breath test, the officer still issued a citation for MIC. The officer noted in his report that he smelled alcohol on her breath, had mood swings (presumably consistent with consumption), and had blood shot watery eyes. This is generic verbiage that we see in all police reports that officers use to cover their bases.
Sought Justice at Trial
At the pretrial conference, the prosecutors would not budge. With our advice, the client decided to take this matter to trial. At trial, the officer testified to what he observed. My office spent quite a bit of time preparing our client for her in court testimony. Because of our hard work and her tremendous testimony, we were able to achieve a not guilty verdict. We could not be happier!
Have your Case Dismissed by a Trained Professional
ASU student and parents, if you have received a citation for underage drinking, do not plead guilty and wind up with a conviction. Our lawyers CAN HELP YOU. Don’t be fooled into thinking you can represent yourself. Criminal cases are more complicated than what you see on TV. A trained officer and prosecutor will win every time against a layperson. Let’s beat your case together!
Author Bio
Matthew L. Lopez
Matthew L. Lopez is the Managing Attorney and founder of Matthew Lopez Law, a criminal defense and DUI firm serving clients throughout Arizona. His track record of case dismissals and charge reductions has earned him honors, including a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 nomination, a “Superb” 10/10 Avvo rating, and a Rising Star designation by Super Lawyers.
Matthew is a member of the National College for DUI Defense and holds active memberships with the Arizona Association for Criminal Justice and the Arizona Association for Justice. His firm handles criminal defense, DUI, drug charges, and traffic offenses, offering free consultations and affordable payment plans to make quality defense accessible to all Arizonans.
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Practice areas
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Tempe
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Lake Havasu City
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Apache Junction
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Parker