Legal Victory: Pretrial Probation Secured in Fake ID Case

Written By: William J. Manchinton Jr.

Published: 03/17/2025

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The Law Office of Matthew W. Peterson is pleased to share another successful outcome for a young client facing potential criminal charges in a fake ID case. Our legal team recently secured a favorable resolution at a clerk magistrate’s hearing in a case involving allegations of possessing and presenting a fake identification card. Most importantly, we kept the client’s criminal record COMPLETELY CLEAN.

Fake ID Case Background

Our client, a college-bound high school senior with an exemplary record of community service and academic achievement, found themselves in an unfortunate situation during a holiday break. While dining with friends at a local restaurant, our client made the regrettable decision to present fake identification during a routine check by establishment staff.

Despite not consuming any alcohol, the mere possession and presentation of fraudulent identification could have resulted in serious legal consequences, including:

Criminal charges on a permanent record
Potential impact on college enrollment
Future employment complications
Difficulties with professional licensing applications

Our Approach

Our defense strategy focused on several key factors:

1. Our client’s clean prior record
2. Their extensive community involvement, including:

- Youth sports referee work
- Teaching winter sports to underprivileged children
- Active participation in fundraising for homeless populations

3. Academic achievements and future educational plans
4. The fact that no alcohol was actually consumed

We emphasized that this isolated error in judgment was not reflective of our client’s character or usual decision-making.

The Outcome

Through careful negotiation and advocacy, we secured an excellent result: pretrial probation for one year, after which the case will be dismissed with no criminal record. This resolution preserves our client’s future opportunities while providing appropriate accountability.

Lessons Learned

This case highlights several important points for young people and their families:

Even seemingly minor legal issues can have major consequences. Fake identification possession is taken seriously by law enforcement and can result in criminal charges.
Good character and community involvement matter. A history of positive contributions can be influential in resolving legal matters favorably.
Early legal representation is crucial. Our involvement at the clerk magistrate hearing stage—before formal criminal charges—allowed us to secure this favorable outcome.

We are proud to have helped this promising young person move past this mistake without derailing their bright future. If you or someone you know is facing a similar situation, please contact our office to discuss how we might be able to help.

Note: All case details have been anonymized to protect client confidentiality.