Is it legal to drink alcohol in public in Virginia?
- 4.1-309. Drinking or possessing alcoholic beverages in or on public school grounds; penalty.
- No person shall possess or drink any alcoholic beverage in or upon the grounds of any public elementary or secondary school during school hours or school or student activities.
- In addition, no person shall drink and no organization shall serve any alcoholic beverage in or upon the grounds of any public elementary or secondary school after school hours or school or student activities, except for religious congregations using wine for sacramental purposes only.
- Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.
- This section shall not prohibit any person from possessing or drinking alcoholic beverages or any organization from serving alcoholic beverages in areas approved by the Board at a performing arts center owned by the City of Alexandria or the City of Portsmouth, provided the organization operating the performing arts center or its lessee has a license granted by the Board.
What Qualifies As A Public Place?
As per the Virginia Code §4.1-100, a public place can be any conveyance, building or place where the public is allowed to have access. Examples of public places can be:
- Highways, sidewalks or streets
- Hotel lobbies, dining rooms or corridors
- Parks
- Restaurants
The law does not include those public places where private parties or meetings are being held. It also does not include chartered or private boats where alcoholic drinks are sold.
The Penalty In The Case Of Drinking On School Grounds
Any Virginian citizen caught drinking alcohol on school grounds will be sentenced with grave and serious penalty of serving no more than six months in prison, as well as paying a fine of no more than $1,000. As per the Virginia Code §4.1-309, it will be taken as a crime to drink or possess any alcoholic drink on a secondary or public elementary school during school hours.
Take Help from Your Virginian Lawyer in Your Case
If you are able to prove that the location was not a public place, or that you weren’t consuming any alcohol, you might just be able to escape a conviction. You must be well aware of all your options on how to tackle your offenses. Your lawyer will make sure you are.
Your skilled and experienced Virginian lawyer will be there to successfully represent you in court. It can be extremely stressful and inconvenient to make trips to the Virginian court. Your Virginian lawyer is familiar with the entire trial process. Hire an experienced and skilled traffic law attorney to help you defend and win your case.
There is no one better than a Virginian attorney who can instruct and prepare you for the necessary steps that you will have to take for a favorable outcome. Your skilled and experienced Petersburg –Virginian lawyer can also direct and guide you on some possible alternatives that the judge might be willing to consider.