Is it illegal to be around underage drinking?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Is it illegal to be around underage drinking?
If a person age 19 was at a party, yet did not consume alcohol while others above the age of 18 but below 21 did, is it against any laws in VA?
Asked on May 1, 2017 under Criminal Law, Virginia
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
So long as the person did not consume or possess any alcohol, then they should be in the clear. Also, they must not provided any alchol to any one else.
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
No, you are not legally responsible for the illegal acts of others unless you participated in or helped them in some way. So if the 19-year-old did not buy the alcohol or provide it, and also did not consume it, he is not liable or resonsible for what others do with one exception: if any of the other drinkers are someone over whom he has legal guardianship (e.g. one is his 15-year-old brother, over whom he was appointed legal guardian for some reason), he can liable due to his legal guardianship.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.