Legal Question in Traffic Law in Minnesota

Re: careless Driving Summons for my 16 yr. old son

That careless driving ticket would be a misdemeanor for an adult: maximum penalty of $1000 fine and 90 days in jail or both. For a first offense, depending some on circumstances, the penalty is USUALLY only a fine. And yes a lot of plea bargaining is done. It would be best, for example, to admit to it as a petty misdemeanor, which is how it would be classified if the fine is less than $100.

In jurvenile traffic court, which is where this should be, the tendency I think is to be even more lenient than they would be with an adult. Traffic offenses are usually treated as minor infractions and not something he would be found "delinquent" for. If someone's life was endangered, it could be a different matter.

Juvenile court is it's own little world. There's no "conviction," just a finding of "delinquency." If anyone is talking about finding your son delinquent, get a lawyer. A free or low cost consultation with an attorney would be a good idea in any event. The courthouse can be a pretty tricky place.

Most matters in juvenile court don't follow a person into their adult life. A traffic offense is an exception to that. This will be on his driving record forever, so it is something that should be taken seriously.

Disclaimer:

This is for general information purposes only and does not create an attorney-client relationship. You are advised to consult the attorney of your choice concerning the details of your case