broken law: Maintain House???

Stillwater, OK.

I am a college student, and recently recieved a $540 ticket by an undercover police officer, and according to the ticket it says i unlawfully maintain house and reasoning behind it was I maintained a premise where alcohol was provided to persons under 21.

Has anyone ever heard of this offense? He also stated it was contrary to this city ordinance and i did some research and there is no such ordinance, although similar ones do exist, nothing like that specifically.

Do i pay the ticket or fight it?

turnpike17 said:

Stillwater, OK.

I am a college student, and recently recieved a $540 ticket by an undercover police officer, and according to the ticket it says i unlawfully maintain house and reasoning behind it was I maintained a premise where alcohol was provided to persons under 21.

Has anyone ever heard of this offense? He also stated it was contrary to this city ordinance and i did some research and there is no such ordinance, although similar ones do exist, nothing like that specifically.

Do i pay the ticket or fight it?

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Did you really allow underage people to be served alcohol at your home? What statute were you charged with?

There were underage drinkers at my house, like most partys in a university town. I was charged with statute 3-3, and there isnt even one of those, although there is a contributing to the deliquency of minors, although that is a whole other statute, which he did not refer too.

Why do people assume that, because they are delinquents, that every one else is also? I did not allow people to drink illegally at my house, as I didn't want it on my conscience if they killed someone on their way home, and I didn't provide alcohol for people who weren't allowed to drink.

Thanks, I wanted advice. Not that.

turnpike17 said:

Thanks, I wanted advice. Not that.

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that was the "free" part. You also wanted to be able to allow alcohol to be served illegally to underage drinkers, and not be caught. You didn't get what you wanted that time either. That part won't be free.

Stillwater has some pretty agressive alcohol laws. You can't drink in your yard (even if you are of age).

But here's 3-3

Sec. 3-3. Maintaining a place where sold contrary to law.
It is unlawful for any person or any agent or employee thereof, to keep, maintain, or aid or abet in keeping or maintaining, a place where intoxicating alcoholic beverages or nonintoxicating alcoholic beverages is manufactured, sold, bartered, given away, or otherwise furnished in violation of law or the ordinances of the city.
(Code 1966, § 14-29)

Thank you very much, I couldnt find it anywhere.

If you ever are agin foolish enough to host a party... Play it smart.

We ran our house parties like a classy bar hosting a private party.

No one came in without showing ID. Two Forms Required - To enter you had to have a Current ID from the School (No undercovers ) and legal proof of age that matched. Even if we knew the person - no exceptions.

While the police did show up a on a few of the occasions when a party was hosted - no one was ever arrested nor was the party broken up since the noise ordinance at that time required a citizen complaint. We had sound proofed the basement and we always shoveled our neighbors walks so people liked us.

Literally - 90 year old woman told us we "were such nice boys."

That was on morning after 3 pro djs and at least 5 kegs of heiniken. Several hundred guests at $7(girl) 9(guy) each. Irresponsible? ??? Well 8 hours of bliss that paid ~2 months of rent for a building that housed 9 people. That was one party. Zero arrests, no violence, no trouble, no underage drinking. I don't feel guilty.

Bottom line is minors must go to parties hosted by minors and adults should go to parties for adults.

Be safe.

xylene said:

If you ever are agin foolish enough to host a party... Play it smart.

We ran our house parties like a classy bar hosting a private party.

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That wouldn't stop him from getting cited under the ordinance he was.

It won't stop you from getting cited in most places. If you're open to the public, you're probably going to need to comply with the liquor license requirements.

FlyingRon said:

That wouldn't stop him from getting cited under the ordinance he was.

It won't stop you from getting cited in most places. If you're open to the public, you're probably going to need to comply with the liquor license requirements.

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He claimed he was cited for maintianing a place where alcohol was served to minors.

Not serving minors goes a long way to aleviate that hassle.

Contending with his city / states other draconian alcohol laws / regs is another issue.

I stand by my advice that not creating a public nuisance and basically covering yourself is the best way to avoid legal trouble should he be so foolish as to again host a college house party.