Attending a party with minors drinking?

Question

I'm going to be attending a party tonight and I'm pretty sure there is going to be underage drinking going on. I'm not the host, I'm not providing any alcohol, and I don't live at the house, and I AM 21, so the alcohol won't be any (legal) problem for me. Would I be able to get in any legal trouble for simply being at a party where minors are drinking, even if I'm not the host or even a resident, and didn't bring or purchase any alcohol for the party?

Answer 1

I would never attend a party where minors are present, let alone drinking.

Answer 2

Well here in Arizona, yes, you would be held responsible. Any adult present can be held liable if they are there, no matter how the alcohol got there.

Be smart, don't go. Being there DOES NOT make you a responsible person, even if you do not provide the booze. Think of it this way, if you are just riding along for the fun of it, and the person driving the car decided to rob a drive thru fast food place, you are still an accomplice.

Don't contribute to the delinquency of a minor (that is what you can be charged with)

Answer 3

I doubt they (police) would single you out for that, but you never know these days. I am from the time where the cops just took your weed and made you pour out your own beer. Innocent until proven guilty is a myth anymore. If you are arrested, you are assumed guilty, and must prove your innocence. All it takes is one person to point an accusing finger at you. Also, In these times, just looking at a girl under 18 can lable you as a s*x offender.

Answer 4

Not at all.  As long as you stick to your word and don't give the underage kids any, you're good to go! I'm happy there are still some responsible people in this world!

Answer 5

If you do not live in the residence, then I am pretty sure that you are okay.

From my knowledge, the police will only either ticket the underagers, or ticket them and the owners for providing alcohol to minors.

Since you are just visiting there, and are of legal age, you really shouldn't be responsible for the other people.  But again, the owners could get in BIG trouble.

Answer 6

Legally you should not get into trouble.  On the other hand, if and when things go haywire and if the police are called you NEVER know what the result will be.  You could well be charged with contributing to delinquency because you knew of a violation of the law and did nothing.  Bad things can always happen and more bad things can happen when law violations are happening around you than when they aren't.  Me?  I'd not go near the place.  

Answer 7

Go throw down my friend - nothing better than a good drink and a hotty to go with it.  Under no circumstances would you be liable for other people drinking - that's just silly.

Answer 8

The real question is why would you be at a party with minors drinking? If anything dreadful happened (like those kids get in an accident) all adults present could be charged if they wanted to push the issue. They would probably only go after the hosts but you never know.

Answer 9

Possibly it the cops show up and you can't prove that you didn't bring any alcohol. You can get in trouble for just being there. But again that's only if cops show up.

Answer 10

I'd advise against attending any party with minors... but then again that's me.

Technically, by knowingly allowing minors to consume alcohol, you could be seen as "contributing to the delinquency of a minor." That assumes that the police bother to show up and start making arrests, and they find out that were over 21, AND they really feel like busting your balls.

It would be a similar (though far less impactful) scenario as if you knew that someone was going to be beaten, and did not bother to alert the authorities, because reasonable action could have been taken to prevent harm (in this case to the minor) but you instead did nothing.

Answer 11

Just by being there and seeing the underage drinking, I would think you could get into trouble because you are an adult and did nothing to stop it.