Public Intoxication
Alcohol-Related Crimes in Indiana
Our Fishers public intoxication defense attorneys of Massillamany Jeter & Carson LLP stand by to help you if you have been arrested for public intoxication. Although the criminal offense may seem harmless to you, it is not seen as such by the state. Indiana prosecutors are zealous about securing public intoxication convictions and judges will not show any leniency.
The penalties for public intoxication can include:
- $1,000 fine
- 180 days in jail
- Both jailtime and fines
You can also be legally held within county jail if you are deemed intoxicated and unmanageable, up until you are sober again. It is also possible to be issued a citation for public intoxication, but this is relatively uncommon. If you have been charged with public intoxication, then you are facing misdemeanor charges and should get the immediate assistance of our criminal defense lawyers.
Call us at (317) 434-1490 or contact us online to begin your public intoxication defense case.
What Does Indiana Consider Public Intoxication?
The phrase ‘public intoxication’ conjures images of someone being drunk in public. Is this all there is to the alcohol-related offense? Not exactly.
In Indiana, it is considered public intoxication if you are drunk or impaired by drugs in public, and you are:
- Causing trouble that could result in serious bodily harm
- Disrupt the peace of the area, such as being boisterous and rowdy
- Intentionally harassing, annoying, or alarming others
Due to the definition of public intoxication, it is common for criminal defendants facing this charge to also be charged with disorderly conduct, which can be a misdemeanor or a felony.
Challenging Your Public Intoxication Charges
The simplest way to challenge your public intoxication charge is to argue that you were not intoxicated at the time of your arrest. If the police did not gather sufficient blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test results after arresting you, then our Fishers public intoxication defense lawyers will be in a good position to use that to your advantage. We can also try to defend your rights by proving you caused no harm to others through your intoxicated behavior, or that you were not willingly in public. For example, if you got drunk in a bar and ejected from the premises before being arrested for being drunk on the sidewalk, then we might be able to argue that you were involuntarily in public, defeating the public intoxication charge.
The options for your defense strategies will vary greatly depending on the details of your specific case, though. It is best for us to sit down with you during a free consultation to get a clearer picture of what happened. Please call our team at (317) 434-1490 as soon as you can to begin your defense.
Why Choose Massillamany Jeter & Carson LLP?
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A Personalized, Team-Oriented Approach
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150+ Years' Combined Experience
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We Are Active Members of Our Community
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We Treat Every Case Individually
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We Are A Boutique Law Firm
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Initial Consultations Are Always FREE!
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"Chris Jeter and his team stand by my side to help guide me in the right direction."
My name is Kelley R., owner of Wishes Dance Studio. As a small business owner in Fishers, Indiana I have found having a great attorney to be more valuable to me than great accountant. Chris Jeter and his team stand by my side to help guide me in the right direction. His knowledge of small business protected me in areas I didn't even know existed. As a result, it gave me peace of mind, takes away the worry and lets me concentrate on growing the business.- Kelley R. -
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Thomas Blessing and his legal aid, Jacqueline, we're so amazing in the manner in which my grandson was advocated for in our local school system. The situation was difficult, to say the least, and Tom fought ethically and capably to protect our dignity and rights for my grandson's educational needs. We won more than the right for him to attend school as an average student, but also make-up time. I would recommend Tom and his team to help with anything educational legal issues you might have.- Kathy -
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Mario helped with my husbands case he is super professional and always there to help! He is the best!! Thank you Mario!- Nina -
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Our family has retained M&J LLP on several occasions. We were under great stress, did not know what to do next, and believed our situation was hopeless when we met with Mario M., Chris J., and staff. These people are not only brilliant, educated lawyers, but proved to personally care about what happened to our family. We feel deeply indebted to Mario M. particularly for the caring service we have been receiving. We cannot say enough good things to describe the responsible legal assistance we have received over the past year. We highly recommend this firm and will definitely use their services in the future if necessary- Lynn C.