Legal Assistance for College Students in Alabama and Florida

Panama City, Florida has long been Spring Break headquarters for tens of thousands of college students each year who flock to Florida’s Gulf Coast from all over the country. If you drive the area around Dothan regularly, you know about the many small town speed traps, just waiting to catch a speeder and issue a ticket. For out-of-town college students traveling down U.S. Highway 231 or 431 on their way to Panama City, however, getting caught in a speed trap can mean more than just a ticket and a hefty fine. The police stop may evolve into a search of the car or a test of the driver’s blood alcohol, and potential arrests for DUI and drug offenses for everyone in the car. A stop like this can do more than put a damper on a teen’s spring break plans; it can derail one’s entire future with the potential for jail time, expulsion from school and the many negative consequences that follow from having a criminal record at a young age.

A person arrested under these circumstances may have many defenses available to avoid a serious conviction. If your college student has been arrested in Alabama on the way to or from Spring Break, the criminal defense attorneys at Smith Law Firm are here to provide strong, aggressive defense on their behalf. We represent teens and young adults charged with some of the most common offenses, including:

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
• Aggravated DUI
• Speeding or Reckless Driving
• Drug Possession

Help is available for college student arrests in Alabama

Young drivers are especially vulnerable to police intimidation. They are less likely to be aware of their rights when confronted by the police, and more likely to be too scared of “getting into trouble” to stand up for themselves. The police know this and use it to their advantage to get young drivers to consent to searches of their belongings and their person, or to make them take nonscientific field sobriety tests. Police are also more likely to get college students to make incriminating statements without a lawyer present, or to quickly plead guilty believing they are better off avoiding a trial.

Your child may not know whether his or her rights were violated, but we will. Our experienced Alabama criminal defense lawyers look at every aspect of the arrest from the initial stop through booking and interrogation to see if they were unfairly taken advantage of. We will advise you and your child about your options and provide a strong defense geared to achieving the best result under the circumstances.

Call Smith Law Firm in Dothan for Help with College Student Arrests in Alabama and Florida

If your college student was arrested in Dothan, Troy, Ozark, Headland, Eufaula or other areas in southern Alabama, call Smith Law Firm at 334-702-1744 for immediate assistance from qualified, experienced and successful Alabama and Florida criminal defense attorneys.