Perhaps you were driving home after a night out with friends, or maybe you had a few beers at home while watching television. You hop behind the wheel to head home or run a quick errand, and next thing you know, you see flashing flights behind you. You know that a drunk driving arrest and DUI or DWI charge in New Jersey is serious, but what's going to happen now? 

A suspected DUI traffic stop is scary, and any criminal charge against you is a threat to your future. It's important to fight back, but where should you start? How can you start the process of building a strong defense? The place you may want to begin is learning more about what to expect after a DUI and the potential consequences that may affect your life.

It may be several years before you are old enough to drink alcohol. Now that New Jersey is raising the age for buying tobacco products to 21, you may wonder how you will be able to purchase cigarettes. You may think that getting a fake ID will get you access to places where you are too young to be. You may plan on using your fake ID to buy beer at a liquor store this summer or to get a busy bartender to serve you alcohol.

While these may seem like harmless plans, law enforcement is dealing with more serious issues involving fake IDs. They are relatively easy to get, and many are rather difficult to identify as fraudulent. More people are using fake IDs to commit identity theft, credit card fraud and other white collar crimes. Because of this, the penalties for making, possessing or using a fake ID are quite severe.

The state of New Jersey does not treat drunk driving lightly. If a criminal court convicts you on a DUI charge, you may face fines, incarceration, license suspension and the installation of an ignition interlock device on your vehicle.

An ignition interlock device prevents you from starting your vehicle if the device reads you have alcohol in your system. This piece of equipment allows DUI offenders the ability to drive if they are able to stay sober. Without this option, DUI offenders would just have to wait until their license suspension periods are up before they can drive again.

Shoplifting may sound like a minor thing. After all, you may have taken things from stores as a kid just for the thrill of it or when your allowance didn't stretch enough for you to afford things you wanted. As an adult, you may not be aware of the true consequences of shoplifting.

Retailers lose billions of dollars each year to shoplifting and other kinds of theft, and this loss is not easy to absorb, especially for a small business owner. This is why many retail establishments are becoming more diligent about prevent shoplifting and are more willing to prosecute those they catch in the act.