I got in some trouble. But just how much, I wonder...

Applying to Med School? Get In Or Your Money Back
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Elemino215

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Make a long story short, my parents were out of town this week. My sisters who are underage decided to have a party. I was against it, but it still happened. I had alcohol and they were drinking it. It is my fault for preventing it. Either way, the cops show up and everyone tells them I supplied the alcohol. I admit that it was mine. The cops decide to not take me in, and instead charge twice with 'Unlawful Transaction With A Minor'. These are Class A misdemeanors. I've come to accept it is my fault, and I am hoping I can avoid jail time and just do community service so I can stay in school.

As of right now this is my second semester of my freshman year. Are these charges the kinds that will, most of the time, automatically disqualify someone from medical school? I really have no idea what to expect in the future with these on my record. And I haven't confirmed, but I am pretty sure they can't be expunged in my state.

So anyone have any input on the crappy situation I've gotten myself into? :(
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Are you Ray Sayeed's little brother?

Elemino215 said:
Make a long story short, my parents were out of town this week. My sisters who are underage decided to have a party. I was against it, but it still happened. I had alcohol and they were drinking it. It is my fault for preventing it. Either way, the cops show up and everyone tells them I supplied the alcohol. I admit that it was mine. The cops decide to not take me in, and instead charge twice with 'Unlawful Transaction With A Minor'. These are Class A misdemeanors. I've come to accept it is my fault, and I am hoping I can avoid jail time and just do community service so I can stay in school.

As of right now this is my second semester of my freshman year. Are these charges the kinds that will, most of the time, automatically disqualify someone from medical school? I really have no idea what to expect in the future with these on my record. And I haven't confirmed, but I am pretty sure they can't be expunged in my state.

So anyone have any input on the crappy situation I've gotten myself into? :(
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That's rough. :confused: I've never been in this situation, or known anyone applying to med school who was either. One of my best friends had a similar charge against her right before starting the college application process. I know undergrad isn't the same, but she got into an ivy despite this being on her record because she had the test scores/gpa. People make mistakes, especially in college. I'm not sure how different class A-s are where you live, but here they also include DUI, possession of a tiny amount of weed, and reckless driving... aka all things I'm sure a decent amount of college students engage in as the result of partying. You can't possibly be the only one who slipped up, you know?

I think it helps that you're a freshman as opposed to a senior in the process of interviews.
 
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I'd say your bigger mistake was just not controlling the situation better when it was your neck on the line. usually you can prevent police from actually entering the house if you just turn music down and shut down the party yourself. They're not lawfully allowed to enter without a permit (although I'm not 100% clear on the details so don't quote me).

Anyway, the real trouble comes when someone underage drunkenly kills themselves afer the party, that turns into some type of criminal negligence or something real bad. As for this, me and a bunch of friends were caught with alcohol when we were 20 at some campus. We got charged with trespassing and possession of alcohol and spent the night in a holding cell. Both chargers were dropped though and almost no medical schools (read, all but one) only ask for convicted misdemeanors, not charged ones, so I expect the same outcome for you if you play your cards right.
 
I am getting a lawyer, for sure. I am going to hope and pray that something can be done to reduce the aftermath as much as possible. This is my first time getting into trouble like this. I'm hoping when I tell the courts that I am in full time and work they will let me off easy.
 
Why we plague society with a doctor who had any association with kids drinking ALCOHOL!?!? What could you have been thinking? I sincerely hope they lock you in jail and throw away the key! :mad:
 
Elemino215 said:
I am getting a lawyer, for sure. I am going to hope and pray that something can be done to reduce the aftermath as much as possible. This is my first time getting into trouble like this. I'm hoping when I tell the courts that I am in full time and work they will let me off easy.
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Tell the lawyer you want to plead it down to something that wouldn't look suspicious on a background check. You probably aren't going to get off free and clear though.
 
sliceofbread136 said:
Why we plague society with a doctor who had any association with kids drinking ALCOHOL!?!? What could you have been thinking? I sincerely hope they lock you in jail and throw away the key! :mad:
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Good people can make mistakes. You sound like an idiot, so shut up.
 
alerk323 said:
I'd say your bigger mistake was just not controlling the situation better when it was your neck on the line. usually you can prevent police from actually entering the house if you just turn music down and shut down the party yourself. They're not lawfully allowed to enter without a permit (although I'm not 100% clear on the details so don't quote me).
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Yeah he probably could have handled it better but if the cops had reasonable cause I think they can enter the house. Where you live can also have an affect on your case. For example in NYC this wOuld probably get thrown out becase they are already backlogged with "actual" criminal and wouldn't waste their time with you. Just be thankful that nobody was hurt in your house because then your parents could have been sued and charges brought against them as well because it is their house.
 
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Your sisters threw a party when the parents were out and you supplied them with some alcohol...CRIMINAL!!!! But seriously, nobody will give two sh**s. You did what many older siblings have done. Even if the charges are not reduced, you will absolutely NOT be disqualified. You have nothing to worry about! And don't let anyone on here convince you otherwise. When application time comes around, you'll be given the opportunity to explain everything. Just make sure you disclose everything so there are no surprises!
 
I think maybe some kids that weren't so friendly with my sisters and their friends called on them.

More people had shown up than planned, and kept parking at our house.

I just wish I didn't have to wait so until court. It's in 3 weeks. I'm most afraid they'll give me jail time and I'll have to withdraw from class, and that would just mess EVERYTHING up.
 
I don't see anything wrong with a college kid partying and drinking alcohol. We all do that and I don't see how your med school chances could be hurt because you got caught by the police for underage drinking. It's not like you cheated on a test or something. After all, you only get to live once and drinking and being wild is what teenagers do..
 
My only advice would be to be upfront when reporting anything involving a criminal record on your application. Things like that can come back to bite down the road if you're not careful.
 
You are not going to be able to win a "Non-Guilty plea"...BUT you can only hope to get a "Plea in Abeyance" which is a guilty plea, HOWEVER the case gets dismissed once the "plea in abeyance" term is over (its just like a probation term where you can't get into anymore trouble). Once the case is dismissed, you can then go and file for expungement to have any record of this erased, and you will be good to go..

When you go to court for the first time to make your plea, you will most likely be offered a plea in abeyance IF you have no previous record. And just to be safe, hiring an attorney to help you with getting a plea in abeyance wouldn't be a bad idea either - however I would personally go to the first court date myself (so i don't have to pay an attorney), see if they would give me a plea in abeyance or not, and if they don't then I'd just ask the judge if you could come back with an attorney before you make a decision on your plea.

I think you will be ok, and you should be able to get a plea in abeyance if you have no previous record. good luck..
 
Perhaps your state offers some type of deferred adjudication program where the charges are dismissed (no conviction entered on your record) after completing probation. This usually requires a guilty plea which means you'll still have to report it on applications that ask if you have ever plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge, but it's obviously much better than a flat out conviction.

If you aren't offered any type of deal, you may actually want to plead not guilty and try to fight it. But obviously you need to get a lawyer and tread carefully as the outcome of this will have life long implications.

Edit: did not see the above post which basically says the same thing about deferred adjudication probably being the best outcome here.
 
osprey099 said:
I don't see anything wrong with a college kid partying and drinking alcohol. We all do that and I don't see how your med school chances could be hurt because you got caught by the police for underage drinking. It's not like you cheated on a test or something. After all, you only get to live once and drinking and being wild is what teenagers do..
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Wrong. Doctors are held to a different standard above being a typical public jackass. Providing alcohol to a minor is a criminal offense much more serious than cheating on a test. Its not a deathblow but it demonstrates a major lack of judgement and common sense.
 
That being said, I'm sure if you took a poll of med students and doctors and asked who had "provided alcohol to minors" the number would be... pretttyyy high. I had dinner with my younger (20) year old brother and his friends the other night and I bought a bottle of wine... oh the outrage! I've also dated girls younger than 21 and given them boos (how else could i get them to like me :( )

but yea obviously this is not the same as throwing a party with highschoolers but the point is the law isn't the magical barrier that should never be crossed that many consider it to be.
 
A decent lawyer can plead you out to a less menacing charge that won't throw up too many red flags in a background check. A great lawyer might get this to go away entirely, but that is unlikely.

I had a friend in college who got an MIP changed to simple trespasing (they were drinking in an abandoned shop owned by a local) because his lawyer showed that the police couldnt prove the alcohol was his and they didnt test him so there was no proof he even was drinking (he was), which sounds much better and is a lesser charge.
 
osprey099 said:
I don't see anything wrong with a college kid partying and drinking alcohol.
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That wasn't the crime. The crime was obtaining a mind-altering substance legally, and then distributing it to a set of people who could legally obtain it themselves.

Really, any medical school is going to be concerned about two things... (1) what happens when your sister wants you to spot her some methadone later on when you will have the ability to procure stronger controlled substances, and (2) even if the medical school does spend its scarce resources to give you a medical degree, will you be able to become a licensed doctor with your past record & future behavior?

Good luck.
 
alerk323 said:
That being said, I'm sure if you took a poll of med students and doctors and asked who had "provided alcohol to minors" the number would be... pretttyyy high. I had dinner with my younger (20) year old brother and his friends the other night and I bought a bottle of wine... oh the outrage! I've also dated girls younger than 21 and given them boos (how else could i get them to like me :( )

but yea obviously this is not the same as throwing a party with highschoolers but the point is the law isn't the magical barrier that should never be crossed that many consider it to be.
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I don't disagree with you, but there is a big difference between "who has provided alcohol to minors?" and "who has been caught providing alcohol to minors by the police?."
 
I've heard rumors in all sorts of directions about this... heres what I know:
if you have a deferred judgement system or anything that will remove it from your record - TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT! you don't have to report these for med school and typically they even say so. These records will not show up on your background check if you are accepted.

if you can get it reduced to something innocuous TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. you only have to report what your record shows.

If you cannot do these things BE UP FRONT in your app. They give you a place to talk about past criminal history and use it to your advantage (silver lining sort of thing...) be reflective, talk about how it changed you and what you learned, ect... dont make excuses and pretend you didn't do anything because it will get you turfed in a hurry. and the water temps raise even quicker if you try to hide it.
 
LizzyM said:
Were you under 21 at the time of this incident? If so, how did you obtain the alcohol? Were you at home at the time of the party?
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I was the adult that was charged for providing it. This just happened the other night. They were drinking alcohol from which I provided.
 
Elemino215 said:
I was the adult that was charged for providing it. This just happened the other night. They were drinking alcohol from which I provided.
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Get the best lawyer you can afford. If this is your first offense you might be able to get something like doing community service and the charge is dismissed. Avoid a conviction AT ALL cost.
 
You've done the right thing by getting a lawyer. Now here's the flow of events:

1. Hopefully lawyer can get the charges dropped (honestly unlikely)
2. If they can't get the charges dropped, hopefully they can get the charges reduced
3. Either way, hopefully you'll be able to have your record expunged after successfully completing probation
4. If they don't drop the charges post probation, hopefully you can see the judge before applying and have them dropped then
5. If this fails then hopefully a good explanation on your app and the fact that this happened years earlier will put medical schools at ease in regards to your responsibility.

I personally was first charged with a breaking and entering felony when I was 17, which was reduced to a trespassing misdemeanor by my lawyer, and my record was sealed after my probation (I was a minor so this came easy). When I was 20 or 21 (don't remember), I was charged with a misdemeanor trespassing charge, but my lawyer (who was actually pretty terrible) managed to get the charges completely dropped. I still had to report the first misdemeanor to some schools, despite my record being sealed (read the wording of their question regarding disclosure carefully), but I don't think it hurt me in any serious way. Just saying that it wasn't the end of the world for me.
 
Elemino215 said:
I was the adult that was charged for providing it. This just happened the other night. They were drinking alcohol from which I provided.
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I'm sure you're really stressed right now, and what happened was really dumb, but :thumbup: on taking responsibility. You seem like you're owning the mistake, which will definitely help you mentally move forward. :)
 
Elemino215 said:
I was the adult that was charged for providing it. This just happened the other night. They were drinking alcohol from which I provided.
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If you were under 21 at the time this happened, it raises the question of how you obtained the alcohol as it is illegal to buy it if you are under 21.

Then you knowingly provided the alcohol to teenagers having a house party when their parents were not at home.

There is a lot of bad judgment in this story... whether that is going to be problem remains to be seen. Do all you can to defend yourself against these charges but unless you are exonerated, be sure to report this on the applications (don't "forget") as it can get very ugly if you fail to report it when you are asked to do so.
 
It might have been a good idea to do something like, "I know your friends are coming over because mom and pop are gone. I would be very disappointed if you were to drink the alcohol that's behind the costco pack of doritos in the left-most kitchen cabinet. You understand what I am saying?"
 
I would bee so effin pissed at my sister....
 
I talked to one lawyer today and he said we can hopefully do a Diversion Program where I do community service, and have the charges dismissed after two years or something.

I'm going to talk one or two more before my arraignment. Hopefully this won't sit on my record as a conviction, and I can move on with my life.
 
Elemino215 said:
I talked to one lawyer today and he said we can hopefully do a Diversion Program where I do community service, and have the charges dismissed after two years or something.

I'm going to talk one or two more before my arraignment. Hopefully this won't sit on my record as a conviction, and I can move on with my life.
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:thumbup: And you could list the community service hours as an EC! win-win
 
I'd also recommend not applying to medical schools right away. If the charges stick, maybe take some time to do a grad program, and some good EC's. I still find it odd that the cops just showed up to your house like that and went inside. Was the music that loud? From all the parties I remember going to in high school and part of my undergrad, the cops never went past the front yard. Might be a regional thing.
 
Everyone makes mistakes....I know you're worried right now, but take some advice that took me quite some time to realize....."All that you can do is everything that you can do". You can't control what the judge will say, and you can't control what acceptance committees will think. The only thing YOU can do is get the best lawyer you possibly can, be sincere when you accept responsibility, and be willing to do anything that proves you have learned your lesson (pay fines, community service, and don't get in any more situations like this!). This is one seriously hard way to learn the habit of continually asking yourself, "will this decision keep me from my dream?". Keep your head up!
 
And speaking of your sister-what happened to all of the under aged drinkers? Did they get dragged out or were their parents called? I'd be so mad at my sister. I can't tell from your original post but did you buy the stuff specifically for the party?
 
Why exactly were the cops called up?
 
DocGodfather said:
I'd also recommend not applying to medical schools right away. If the charges stick, maybe take some time to do a grad program, and some good EC's. I still find it odd that the cops just showed up to your house like that and went inside. Was the music that loud? From all the parties I remember going to in high school and part of my undergrad, the cops never went past the front yard. Might be a regional thing.
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I was at a party where the cops came in and arrested the party-thrower despite the fact that she was being very pleasant and offered to turn the music down. Frankly, it depends somewhat on the specific officers as well; my experience has generally been the same as yours.
 
Well the party got much bigger than I thought and people kept parking in the drive way. I made a mistake on my part and hid in my room, thinking like an idiot, that no one would answer the door. It was just all handled in the worst possible way imaginable. The cops were total asses too. I know you have to be tough to scare kids, but they were having too much fun. My sisters tell me now how the cops were insulting them and just being straight up mean for no reason.

And it's those kinds of cops who yell at you for lying. It's like dodging when you see a punch coming at you. Most people will lie to the cops because they will clearly get in trouble.

It was just an awful moment all around. I myself should have handled it so much better. I'm just going to hope that the courts cut me some slack and I can come out of this alive and hopefully with a decent future.
 
Well let us know how things turn out. It'll be a interesting one for the SDN background check chapter.
 
Elemino215 said:
I talked to one lawyer today and he said we can hopefully do a Diversion Program where I do community service, and have the charges dismissed after two years or something.

I'm going to talk one or two more before my arraignment. Hopefully this won't sit on my record as a conviction, and I can move on with my life.
Click to expand...

Ahhh diversions...take it and run. Although usually they're for those under 18 who have done something stupid, like me when I was younger. Anyway good luck.
 
Elemino215 said:
Make a long story short, my parents were out of town this week. My sisters who are underage decided to have a party. I was against it, but it still happened. I had alcohol and they were drinking it. It is my fault for preventing it. Either way, the cops show up and everyone tells them I supplied the alcohol. I admit that it was mine. The cops decide to not take me in, and instead charge twice with 'Unlawful Transaction With A Minor'. These are Class A misdemeanors. I've come to accept it is my fault, and I am hoping I can avoid jail time and just do community service so I can stay in school.

As of right now this is my second semester of my freshman year. Are these charges the kinds that will, most of the time, automatically disqualify someone from medical school? I really have no idea what to expect in the future with these on my record. And I haven't confirmed, but I am pretty sure they can't be expunged in my state.

So anyone have any input on the crappy situation I've gotten myself into? :(
Click to expand...

Well, I hope you aren't convicted of two Class A Misdemeanors, especially since these involve "moral turpitude," and are just a step below felony convictions... You need a good lawyer to help you out of this mess. :)
 
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