Busted for having minors over, alcohol present

Read your student handbook. Every school is different. Find out exactly what the written policy on alcohol in a dorm room is.

Some schools do not allow alochol, and can expel you for having it. Other schools don't allow it, but will not expel you. Other schools allow it if you're 21. Etc, etc.

The issues may be:

Are you of legal drinking age?

Can you have alcohol on campus?

Did you supply minors with alcohol?

Many states have fines for supplying alcohol to minors, so you may want to find out about that as well (as in, will campus police be contacting local city police?).

If there are to be charges, get them in writing. Then take your written charges to a lawyer. You do not want this to show up in your record or on your transcript (yes, some colleges will actually put it on your official transcript). Never go into any type of disciplinary hearing alone. Get advice from a lawyer, and have the lawyer go with you to the hearing if the lawyer recommends it.

And never take one of your buddies, who is pre-law, as your legal representation. I've seen students actually try to do this.

I'm an older guy, but my neighbor's kid was arrested by Michigan State University Public Safety (campus police) two weeks AFTER she took off her shirt--girls gone wild style--during a riot on campus after the basketball team lost in the final four (it was kind of an infamous campus party/riot/mayhem event about ten years ago). She was recognized on a tape someone filmed and arrested later. She was on a boy's shoulders yelling "woooo" while exposing her breasts. She was arrested, booked, charged, jailed, fined, and expelled. The boy was not charged in any way! She damaged no property, but was charged with contributing to the riot.

Anyway, she was profoundly embarrassed, and didn't want to tell her parents, and just pled guilty so she could get on with her life. Then it made all the papers, local TV news, her parents found out about her expulsion when she moved back home.

The moral here is--you are responsible for your actions, but the authorities also don't have a right to make an example of you or to ruin your life with a punishment that is much more harsh than the actual crime. Make sure you get the advice of a competent lawyer, whatever it costs.

I also heartily endorse an alcohol-free lifestyle. It is part of the path to happiness and success.

Good luck.

yeah at least he's not doing what Mass. Senators do. they get away with a whole lot, eh?

Ya hoser.

Dumb Kids wrote:

You got off easy. How about you push this one, and let campus security turn you over to the police? Being charged with providing alcohol to a minor is a far worse mess than some overzealous campus security turd pouring out your cheap beer.

Small alcohol violations are handled by University Police and Security in most situations because the college/university would get in far greater trouble turning over the offenders than the actual offenders would.

Maybe good, but definitely dumb. I NEVER provided alcohol to minors. Why? Because I knew better from how I grew up. I wasn't any teetotaller, either, and didn't wait for my 21st birthday to taste my first beer. College campuses are certainly sheltered environments (be thankful for that) but it's definitely not mom & dad's house. Grow up, get a clue.

1. You broke the law.

2. They may have broken some "campus rules."

3. The law is enforced by the court and may go on your permanent recrd.

4. You are making claims of harassment; were you sober when campus security came by? Or were you acting like a drunk idiot?

wow OP sounds like a badass. we are all very impressed that you through a big party. the fact that nobody here will no the specific options at your schools demonstrates you just wanted to brag about your big party.

-just practicing being confrontational for the hell of it.

threw*, know*, school*

-just finished writing a big paper, and I am now incoherent... and confrontational

busted up wrote:

I admit we were violating the schools alcohol policy, and deserve what we get.

Ok then, man up and plead. In most States if this is a first misdemeanor offense you'll be given a diversion, and if completed, your record will be completely clean.

busted up wrote:

However, I am wondering what our options are with campus safety and how they reacted.

This is a stratagem embraced only by little nancy boys. Go for it.

Because this could have serious ramifications for you down the road, you really should talk to a lawyer.

And to all the jackasses giving the guy hell or calling him a "nancy", it would certainly be easy for him to face the charges and plead, AND take action against the university officers. You might be far removed from a university setting, but it is not at all uncommon to be harassed by local cops because they know you are likely to be unaware of your rights. By all means, take action to prevent future harassment by university police. If they did nothing wrong they will be cleared.

by minors you mean under 18?

Yeah, what a HORRIBLE miscarriage of justice to have $5 worth of Natty Light poured down the drain. If they are allowed to get away with this, they might just pour $7 worth of Mickey's down the drain the next time! Where will the escalation end if we don't put a foot down and bring an end to the madness?

this idea is ridiculous that if you violate school policy, security is authorized to do anything whatsoever. and you shouldn't have to apologize for minors (from your college) being at your party with alcohol present (this is the case at dinner with many parents nightly!), because the college atmosphere virtually requires the presence of 18-20 year olds at parties--to eliminate them would be virtually to eliminate all college parties with alcohol, given that colleges throw together, primarily, 18-23 year olds in roughly the same housing.

malmo wrote:

Ok then, man up and plead. In most States if this is a first misdemeanor offense you'll be given a diversion, and if completed, your record will be completely clean.

Most colleges don't put charges on students. They simply make them do community service and meet with a hall director in my experience. It doesn't go to a real court unless the school is really pissed. Most of the time it's handled in College Court.

Troll 45 wrote:

Most colleges don't put charges on students. They simply make them do community service and meet with a hall director in my experience. It doesn't go to a real court unless the school is really pissed. Most of the time it's handled in College Court.

No colleges have legal authority over criminal charges. They only have the authority to rule over matters of school rules violations.

I'm 30 and I'm not sure I understand why everyone has such contempt for kids in college who do what we all did at one time. Wow, college kids drinking cheap beer in a dorm! The horror! Give him the chair! The only explanation I have is that they never had any fun, and they're jealous.

To the OP: I do think focusing on the beer being poured out seems a bit silly. You're busted. Just focus on how to come away looking better...cooperate with the authorities and be apologetic. Everyone's allowed little screw-up like this. Just accept it and move on. No one's going to think you're a criminal over this.

A lawyer youre not wrote:

Troll 45 wrote:

Most colleges don't put charges on students. They simply make them do community service and meet with a hall director in my experience. It doesn't go to a real court unless the school is really pissed. Most of the time it's handled in College Court.

No colleges have legal authority over criminal charges. They only have the authority to rule over matters of school rules violations.

I think we need the OP to explain what "written up" means. If he's been ticketed for serving alcohol to a minor, and will have to go to court, that's a lot different than being written up for violating a school policy.

I'm not sure what school you go to or how campus police handle write ups, but c'mon its just campus police. so you get a little note in your file- so what. at least it wasn't real police, then you'd be in real trouble. i'd be more worried what your coach is going to do about it if he is informed of the incident.

if you are of age, and you are throwing the party - its your responsibility to keep it under control, keep the youngins out of harms way, and set an example. you did not, so now you pay the price. trying to claim your rights were violated by campus police because they dumped out your beer is completely ridiculous. trust me, it doesn't create a diversion.

just deal with it, say you're sorry, and move on. oh- and lay low for a few months before you throw your next party.

In some ways you are lucky. Where I attend school we have had people cuffed and sent to jail for hosting a party with minors.

*I forgot that some campus police are actually real police that file citations with the real police department.

if thats the situation at your school- disregard my previous post. you're f'ed.