Knoxville, Tennessee Public Intoxication Attorney

Public Intoxication Defense Firm Supporting Clients in Knoxville, TN

While charges of public intoxication are usually less serious than DUI, they can still cause a lot of problems for you. Many people charged with this crime are out-of-state visitors in Tennessee on vacation or college students who are still learning their limits when it comes to alcohol. Nashville is known for its bustling bar scene. The downtown area is filled with bars and nightclubs, often featuring live country music bands and rowdy crowds. The line between having a fun night out and getting thrown in jail for being drunk in public can be a fine one.

If you have been arrested for public intoxication, The Baker Law Firm can help. Attorney Lance K. Baker will work to prevent this charge from interfering with your life as usual. While most people who are represented by counsel will not go to jail for this offense, you could face up to 30 days in jail depending on the circumstances. Mandatory drug and alcohol treatment is also a possibility, whether you feel that you need it or not. It is important to have an attorney who can put on a strong legal defense on your behalf.

Understanding Tennessee's Public Intoxication Laws

Calling this offense "public intoxication" is a bit of a misnomer. If simply being intoxicated and in public were a crime, law enforcement would have buses parked on every street corner on Friday and Saturday nights to round up all the offenders. To be guilty of the crime of public intoxication, you have to be both intoxicated and any of the following:

• A danger to yourself - If you are falling over, wandering into traffic, attempting dangerous stunts, or unable to walk to the point where law enforcement fears that you are going to injure yourself, you might be charged with public intoxication.
• A danger to others - This applies if your intoxication is causing you to behave in a way that presents a danger to those around you. This might include people who are "looking for a fight" or acting in a threatening or aggressive way. It might also include being so drunk that you are knocking other people over, crashing into bystanders, or throwing objects that could hit and injure someone.
• A danger to property - If you are so drunk that you are breaking things such as windows and barstools or damaging parked vehicles, you might be arrested. You do not have to have actually damaged property yet to be arrested. It is enough if you are behaving in a way that is likely to lead to property damage.
• Causing a disturbance - There is a lot of gray area when it comes to deciding who is unreasonably disruptive to those around them and who is being rowdy within reason. Yelling, dancing, and using a bit of salty language are to be expected along streets lined with bars when it is late at night. You are more likely to be arrested if you are engaging in disruptive behavior earlier in the day when there are families with children around or if you are in a place where others are not drinking, such as a mall or grocery store. Some behaviors, like harassing other people or repeatedly shouting profanity, might get you arrested regardless of where you are and what time it is.

The rules that apply to people who are underage and intoxicated are a bit different.

Arrests for Public Intoxication Related to University of Tennessee Football Games

Many people drink alcohol while attending college football games, watching games at sports bars, or celebrating at parties on game days. College students or adults may be arrested for public intoxication if they engage in loud or aggressive behavior, get in fights, or otherwise put themselves or others at risk of harm. Those who are taken into custody by police, including Tennessee residents and people visiting from out of state, will need to understand what steps they can take to defend against these charges and avoid the penalties that may come with a conviction. We can provide the representation needed to resolve these cases successfully.

Contact a Knoxville, TN Public Intoxication Lawyer

The team at The Baker Law Firm is skilled in defending people who have been arrested for public intoxication. If you are facing criminal charges related to being drunk and disorderly, contact us at 865-200-4117 for a complimentary consultation.