Civil Infraction

[MSUSpartan642]

So my freshman year of college after walking home from a friends house watching a football game I had a couple of beers. The local campus police pulled up and asked everyone to give a breathalyzer and of course I failed it. I was taken back to the campus police station and charged with a MIP (Minor in possession of alcohol).

However, I paid a fine and took a class and the ticket was knocked down to a civil infraction. I have completed like 6 of my 8 secondaries and had COMPLETELY forgot about this. I'm seriously freaking out if this is going to screw up my applications now . Should I supplement the schools that I applied to with this information or should this not be a concern since it was just a civil infraction?

Any help would be great. Thanks a bunch.

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[Black Adder]

So my freshman year of college after walking home from a friends house watching a football game I had a couple of beers. The local campus police pulled up and asked everyone to give a breathalyzer and of course I failed it. I was taken back to the campus police station and charged with a MIP (Minor in possession of alcohol).

However, I paid a fine and took a class and the ticket was knocked down to a civil infraction. I have completed like 6 of my 8 secondaries and had COMPLETELY forgot about this. I'm seriously freaking out if this is going to screw up my applications now . Should I supplement the schools that I applied to with this information or should this not be a concern since it was just a civil infraction?

Any help would be great. Thanks a bunch.

If this thing shows up on your record and you failed to note it on your app I imagine that that would pose a problem. I don't know what a "Civil infraction" is, but the situation you described above doesn't sound serious at all. You just had the misfortune of getting caught doing something I imagine pretty much everyone in college has done before the legal age. I'd email an admissions person at one or two schools you applied to and see what they say about your situation.

 

[MSUSpartan642]

Typically civil infractions are like parking tickets and that type of stuff.

Wikipedia (Haha I know) states it as:

A civil infraction is violation of the law less serious than a misdemeanor.

or

In common law countries, a civil infraction is a non-criminal violation of a rule, ordinance, or regulation.

I just hope this doesn't make me look bad to the Adcoms. It was like 5 years ago and my only run in with the law.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Make sure the MIP was an infraction and not a misdemeanor. If it was a misdemeanor and you were convicted or plead no contest, you should have mentioned it on the primary. If it was an infraction, you were fine to answer no on the primary. If secondaries ask 'have you ever been charged with a misdemeanor/felony (or convicted of one),' you can say no. If they ask 'have you ever been convicted/charged with a crime,' I think you should bring it up and write a little statement about it. Here's the thing ... you can probably get really technical and say that infractions aren't crimes in most states, etc etc ... but the goal here is to not look dishonest. If what you did wasn't a big deal, and you just come out and say hey ' this happened, went to court on this date, paid this fine, I can answer any questions about it, etc ' you are going to look honest and it will probably never come up. If you don't report it, and it comes up in a background check later ... problem. Answer questions honestly, be upfront about the situation (adcoms know you're human) and you'll be fine.

 

[MSUSpartan642]

Thanks thats what I figured.

Should I just supplement the schools that I already sent secondaries into with a little note saying that I forgot to mention this in my application?

 

[JaggerPlate]

Thanks thats what I figured.

Should I just supplement the schools that I already sent secondaries into with a little note saying that I forgot to mention this in my application?

Was it for sure an infraction?? Because if so, and they didn't ask for it ... then no.




PM me if you want.

 

[Grey Wind]

i agree with jaggerplate. if you are 100% sure it was not a misdemeanor then i wouldnt say anything. bringing it up to schools now may look a little fishy.

 

[Old Grunt]

So my freshman year of college after walking home from a friends house watching a football game I had a couple of beers. The local campus police pulled up and asked everyone to give a breathalyzer and of course I failed it. I was taken back to the campus police station and charged with a MIP (Minor in possession of alcohol).

However, I paid a fine and took a class and the ticket was knocked down to a civil infraction. I have completed like 6 of my 8 secondaries and had COMPLETELY forgot about this. I'm seriously freaking out if this is going to screw up my applications now . Should I supplement the schools that I applied to with this information or should this not be a concern since it was just a civil infraction?

Any help would be great. Thanks a bunch.

It's all water under the bridge, but for future reference, keep in mind that, without a court order, no police officer, highway patrolman, and sure as hell no campus cop can force you to take a breathalyzer. That goes for traffic stops and checkpoints. Talk about violating your rights.

If you'd refused, they'd have hassled you, but in the end they couldn't make you blow.

I realize that doesn't help you now, just saying....

Don't know what I'd do in your position. Good luck.

 

[skybliss]

same thing happened to me. Civil Infraction for speeding.

there have been other topics on this.

if secondaries ask just for misdemeanors and felonies, don't need to mention anything. if secondaries ask for crimes in general, then you can attach a brief note. I doubt it'll be an issue, so don't worry too much.