Jail

Public Intoxication

You went out with friends, had a drink, and ended up spending the night in jail. The officer arrested you for public intoxication (PI). This is a Class C Misdemeanor and does not impose a penalty which includes jail time, but you already spent the night locked up. Even more unfairly, the officer did not even give you a breathalyzer or field sobriety tests.

The crime of Public Intoxication (PI) occurs when you are in a public place and are deemed to be intoxicated to the point that you are a danger to yourself or others.  Many people are treated unfairly and have their rights violated because this is considered a minor offense. The police believe the accused can “sleep it off” and then just pay a fine.

Do not further injure yourself by just paying the fine. A conviction for PI will stay on your record for life and will make expunction of the arrest impossible. Further, the next time you are out with friends, the police seeing your prior conviction, will treat you as a drunk or the next time you are stopped for a traffic infraction you may find yourself facing a DWI investigation.

The Hersom Law Firm has assisted hundreds of clients to obtain dismissals of their charges and successfully expunge the case.