Should I plea guilty or not guilty?

I'm 19 years old and recently just got caught underage drinking at a small party in Ohio. I've never been in trouble before. The cops came to the house and I was hiding in the bathroom, some people keep telling me that i should say i was just going to the bathroom. When they asked me to take a breathalyzer i said no because i know i don't have to and it's my right. Should I act like i wasn't drinking or just be honest? I've never been to court before so i'm really nervous i'll say the wrong thing and i don't have a lawyer. Help me please!

Please see the other site where you posted this question for my response.

If you are simply making a plea, I would go with not guilty for now.

Then you hire a lawyer, and figure it all out.

What, exactly, are you charged with in this situation? 

Visit the following website and study up on underage drinking laws:  http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4301.69

Your post is lacking in some important details (e.g., what happened after the cops (apparently) found you hiding in the bathroom and you refused to take the breathalyzer?).

However, I think the most important thing I can tell you is that only a complete and utter fool would make a decision like this based on what anonymous strangers on an Internet message board say.

Underage drinking is hardly the crime of the century, but you should not be soliciting input about how to plea from anyone other than a criminal defense lawyer.

For now, plead not guilty if you are arraigned on these charges. If you are entitled to the services of a public defender, you confer with him or her and then decide what to do. You can always change your plea later on once you have had a chance to confer with an attorney/public defender, if eligible. If you do not qualify for the services of a public defender and cannot engage an attorney before your court date, plead not guilty and inform the judge that you have contacted some attorneys about legal representation, but need some additional time to find suitable counsel. Then follow-up on obtaining the services of an attorney ASAP.

In many jurisdictions, if jail time is not on the table, you may not be eligible for the services of the public defender. I doubt if many first time offenders go to jail over this one. However, a guilty plea also could have consequences for your driver's license, etc. until you are twenty-one. You also might discover after the fact that the fine is much higher than you realized or that all those community services hours are really "a bummer".

A criminal defense attorney might be able to get the charge reduced to one that might not have the same consequences for your license, perhaps get you a reduced fine, etc.