State v. Auliye

OPINION

MANNHEIMER, Judge.

Candice Auliye is charged with violating AS 04.16.050(a) — consuming or possessing alcoholic beverages while younger than twenty-one years. Superior Court Judge Ben J. Esch concluded that the potential penalty for this offense is sufficiently severe that Auliye is entitled to a jury trial and to counsel at public expense if she is unable to afford private counsel. The State has petitioned us to review this ruling.

Any person found guilty of violating AS 04.16.050 must be placed on “probation” until they are twenty-one years old (or for one year, whichever is longer).…