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Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor

Furnishing alcohol to a person under the age of 21 in the state of California is a crime. Furnishing alcohol to a minor is classified as a misdemeanor. A person charged with this type of crime can face the prospect of jail time and fines if convicted. If convicted, one should call a bondsman to help them get out of jail.

Selling Alcohol to a Person Under the Age of 21

One setting in which a person can face being charged with furnishing alcohol to a minor is at a bar, club or restaurant. The fact is that a person serving alcohol in these types of establishments has a legal duty to ensure that he or she is selling or providing this type of beverage only to individuals over the age of 21.

Of course, there are instances in which a patron under the legal drinking age is able to dupe staff in an establishment into serving alcohol to him or her. For example, an individual may have a very convincing fake identification card. A person serving to a person in such a situation may be able to avoid being charged, or convicted, of the crime if that individual made a reasonable effort to confirm the underage individual’s actual age.

Serving Alcohol to Minors in a Home or Other Location

An adult who furnishes alcohol in a residential or any other setting also can legitimately be charged with the crime of furnishing alcohol to a person under the age of 21 years. Being charged with this crime does not necessitate the sale of alcohol — only the provision of it to a person under the age of 21.

A person can be charged with this crime if he or she purchases alcohol on behalf of a minor from a retail establishment. An adult needs to exercise reasonable care in ensuring that a person receiving alcohol is of a legal age.

Arrests for Selling or Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor

If a person ends up arrested for selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor, the need for a bail bond may arise. Upon being arrested, a person charged with this crime will be processed into the jail. In some instances a person is provided a summons to appear in court rather than being arrested at the time of an encounter with law enforcement. Although an immediate arrest may not occur, a person must appear in court at the appointed time or face a warrant being issued for his or her arrest.

Assuming that the individual charged with this alcohol offense faces no other criminal charges, he or she should be advised of the amount of the bond necessary to released from jail during the booking process. An individual in this position will not have to wait to appear before a judge to get a bond amount set.

A person will have the opportunity to contact a bail bond professional during or directly after the booking process. Provided that individuals can come up with a small percentage of the total amount of the bond necessary to obtain release, a bail bond professional will likely be able to assist that person in obtaining his or her freedom.
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