Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Tennessee

Sell or Gift of Alcohol to an Underage Person
While camping in a Federal Park where consumption of alcohol is legal, a park ranger (federal officer) stopped by our campsite and asked to see our identification. It turns out that a friend of mine, whom I had only known for a couple of weeks was only 20 years of age. The ranger cited the underage person with possession of an alcoholic beverage and gave me a citation of �Gift or Sell of Alcohol to an Underage Person�. This is a mandatory federal court appearance.

My question is how should I go about this. I have never had anything on my record and do not want this offense to be there either. I am willing to pay a fine, community service or whatever I can do to keep this off my permanent record. I have never been in court and don�t know the process, so how should I approach the judge and what should I ask for? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Asked on 9/28/04, 1:17 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

Dr. Michael A. S. Guth Tennessee Attorney at Law Assists Pro Se (without a lawyer) Parties

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You need to talk to a criminal lawyer

You need to talk to a criminal lawyer, but I understand that minor offenses like this can eventually be expunged from your record. In addition to consulting with a criminal lawyer, I would look up the particular U.S. Code violation written on your citation. Then you will see the elements of the crime. If you scrutinize those elements, you can help your lawyer prepare a defense if all of the elements of the crime are not present.

Answered on 9/29/04, 11:41 am

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