court ordered aa
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 23
court ordered aa
im not alcoholic.
i got a dui because of my own irresponsible decision making, and have been labeled an alcoholic by a drug and alcohol counselor.
i am required to go to 2 aa meetings a week for 2 years......i have went to 56of them.
i respect everyone who has found sobriety in the aa program. i can understand why members dont like court ordered aa. it can really screw up the environment in these meetings for people who actually use them for help.
i was wondering if friends i met in aa could sign my attendance sheets, instead of only the chairperson. and would my probation officer call my friends to verify my attendance? they have never heard of probation verifying.
i got a dui because of my own irresponsible decision making, and have been labeled an alcoholic by a drug and alcohol counselor.
i am required to go to 2 aa meetings a week for 2 years......i have went to 56of them.
i respect everyone who has found sobriety in the aa program. i can understand why members dont like court ordered aa. it can really screw up the environment in these meetings for people who actually use them for help.
i was wondering if friends i met in aa could sign my attendance sheets, instead of only the chairperson. and would my probation officer call my friends to verify my attendance? they have never heard of probation verifying.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,509
I'm glad you are living a sober life.
If it was me, I would do exactly what I was told to do. I would feel like I broke the law, and it was up to me to try to fix things by doing what I had to do. I would have huge anxiety issues if I was cheating on the meetings.
If it was me, I would do exactly what I was told to do. I would feel like I broke the law, and it was up to me to try to fix things by doing what I had to do. I would have huge anxiety issues if I was cheating on the meetings.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 711
Personally, I am very grateful I was court ordered to attend AA. I probably wouldn't have otherwise. That being said, I am an alcoholic.
I doubt a probation officer could or would verify the signatures on the sheet. I can hardly make out most of the ones on mine. I would be way too scared to be dishonest about the attendance though.
I think court ordered AA opens the eyes of a lot of people who would otherwise not consider themselves alcoholic.
I doubt a probation officer could or would verify the signatures on the sheet. I can hardly make out most of the ones on mine. I would be way too scared to be dishonest about the attendance though.
I think court ordered AA opens the eyes of a lot of people who would otherwise not consider themselves alcoholic.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 23
Originally Posted by Anna 
It sounds like you're looking for someone here to tell you it's okay to not obey your court order.
I sincerely doubt that anyone here will do that.
I sincerely doubt that anyone here will do that.
RIP Sweet Suki
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: In my sanctuary, my home
Posts: 39,910
You broke a law and these are the consequences of your bad decisions. You should continue to attend the meetings, as ordered. Maybe they check and maybe they don't. If they do, and you are found to have lied, you could be ordered to jail, regardless of how busy you are. It's only 2 hours out of your week. I'm sure you can deal with it.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NC
Posts: 1,737
Leaving the benefits of sobriety aspect aside...
I don't know what the probation system is like where you live and where you go to meetings, but both are pretty small circles where I live. While AA's principles protect your anonymity from the general public, my understanding is that does not protect meeting chairs from having to testify in/to the court. I understand that life is busy, but you have been asked to give two hours a week. It would be foolish to compound the consequences of your original "irresponsible decision making" by trying to save a couple of hours.
I don't know what the probation system is like where you live and where you go to meetings, but both are pretty small circles where I live. While AA's principles protect your anonymity from the general public, my understanding is that does not protect meeting chairs from having to testify in/to the court. I understand that life is busy, but you have been asked to give two hours a week. It would be foolish to compound the consequences of your original "irresponsible decision making" by trying to save a couple of hours.
Guest
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 270
I hated to beg for signatures, know what you mean about that. I found meetings where I could show up at the end and hang out with the boys outside until it was over, talking about our crazy weekends and then all file in to beg for a signature.
Eventually I was running meetings and signing my own, but that was down the road after I got involved.
It's better in my opinion if the courts stop sending the unwilling to AA. We've never had a shortage of newcomers and they waste everyone's time.
I often suggest to people who plainly don't want to suffer through meetings that they should have their bartender or their mama sign their card, as no one ever checks on the sigs. How could they possibly ring up 'Bob B.' or 'Steve P.'?
Wish I had been sharp enough to figure that out.
When I was ready to do AA after a few more DUIs and assorted typical drunk troubles, I was back in the meetings for something other than a crummy signature.
When you eventually need something more, remember where you can find it. And try to stay away in the meantime.
Eventually I was running meetings and signing my own, but that was down the road after I got involved.
It's better in my opinion if the courts stop sending the unwilling to AA. We've never had a shortage of newcomers and they waste everyone's time.
I often suggest to people who plainly don't want to suffer through meetings that they should have their bartender or their mama sign their card, as no one ever checks on the sigs. How could they possibly ring up 'Bob B.' or 'Steve P.'?
Wish I had been sharp enough to figure that out.
When I was ready to do AA after a few more DUIs and assorted typical drunk troubles, I was back in the meetings for something other than a crummy signature.
When you eventually need something more, remember where you can find it. And try to stay away in the meantime.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 818
I don't agree with the court ordered thing, either. I'll sign a slip if I'm chairing, but only then and only after the meeting. While I don't think anyone should be forced to attend AA, I won't lie for them either.
And when I do sign, I only use my first name and last initial, and never a phone number.
And when I do sign, I only use my first name and last initial, and never a phone number.
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