Originally Posted by
Tatsy Hi Ken33xx, thank you for clarifying the US system. I hadn't realised AA attendance was voluntary, after a DUI, with an eye on securing a lesser sentence.
From what I read on SR, the US Courts mandated DUIs to attend AA and in compliance , to have court slips signed, as evidence of such compliance with the mandate (compulsory court order).
Both are true.
Sentencing is at the discretion of a judge (within certain guidelines). So some attend AA in hope that it will influence a judge to issue a lighter sentence. And sometimes a judge does mandate AA attendance as part of a sentencing deal.