The holiday season is upon us and with that comes the joy of our children returning home from college to celebrate our favorite winter family traditions.  Having our children away at school, we as parents are not naïve to the partying that goes on at these universities while the students are taking a break from their frantic studying.  Given the joy we are feeling for having our kids home on break, we want them to spend as much time around the house as possible and may be inclined to allow them to have their parties at the house rather than making them go elsewhere.  Some permissive parents have the mindset that our teens are going to try and drink regardless of what we say sometimes, so isn’t it best to have them do it at our homes where we could subtly supervise if need be?

This not only can send the wrong message to your teens but you must be aware of an Illinois law that the police are using with far greater frequency in order to combat this mindset. An Illinois law that has been in effect for about a year states that “it is unlawful for any parent or guardian to knowingly permit his or her residence or any other private property under his or her control for the use of alcohol consumption by minors.”  Violation of this law could result in a Class A misdemeanor and at least a $500 fine to the owner of the property.  And if any bodily harm were to occur to one of these minors as a result of drinking, the owner could be charged with a Class 4 felony.

The holidays are a wonderful time of year and we all want to enjoy them to the fullest with our family and friends, so don’t let a lapse in judgment wreck your holiday cheer.  However, if you or anyone you know finds yourself in trouble providing alcohol to a minor, underage drinking, or any other alcohol-related offense, do not hesitate to contact us here at LauraLaw, and one of our experienced attorneys will be happy to discuss your options. In the meantime, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!