Facing DUI Arraignment today and terrified.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 6
Facing DUI Arraignment today and terrified.
Hello everyone. I am new here and 33 days sober. I am finally reaching out because I was arrested for my 2nd DUI charge in 8 years and I'm heading to arraignment this morning. Though I did not hurt anyone or anything either time, the guilt and hopelessness I am feeling is overwhelming me. Both times I've been arrested for DUI were the results of binge drinking at happy hours. I have reached my rock bottom. I can't live this way anymore.
I decided to get back into therapy for issues unrelated to my alcoholism and am thinking about attending AA. My husband is being so supportive. I have to get better for him AND myself.
But right now I am so overwhelmed with the legal part of this. I know I need to be punished, but 3 months in jail will ruin us financially. Thanks for listening to me whine. I know I don't deserve sympathy for what I've done.
I decided to get back into therapy for issues unrelated to my alcoholism and am thinking about attending AA. My husband is being so supportive. I have to get better for him AND myself.
But right now I am so overwhelmed with the legal part of this. I know I need to be punished, but 3 months in jail will ruin us financially. Thanks for listening to me whine. I know I don't deserve sympathy for what I've done.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,410
Hey MarieAntoinette, good for your to get your life straight away. I know it's not be very stressful going through legal stuff with a 2nd DUI. I'm in the same boat and now I also feel I need to change. I don't know your case but 3 months in jail for your 2nd DUI seem a little long but I don't know what state you got it in, so I can't tell you more. Are you going to take a plead from the DA and do you have a lawyer? Best advice I can give you is to try to take a plead, do the probation and pay the fines and get help with your drinking problems. Can't do anything with the financial problems you have. You will need to cut by on stuff and future on each day. It will get hard at times but as long as you do everything you need to do and don't drink because you will be on probation and drinking is not allow and anything will workout in the long run.
Keep us posted and welcome to SR.
Keep us posted and welcome to SR.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 73
Good Morning Marie ~ You grabbed my attention my dear! November 10, last fall, I received my second DUI, the first was, just like you, 8 years ago; a mere slap on the wrist that one...
I have had my day in court and for what its worth, I'll share with you how it came out for me. Just know Marie, I know EXACTLY where you're at this morning!!
The morning after my DUI I called the mental health faciliy nearby and requested an assessment. I wanted to be proactive on my own without the need for anyone to tell me what to do. I then scheduled an appointment with a qualified criminal attorney. The assessment revealed a need for relapse out-patient treatment which I immediately enrolled in - this is held mon - wed evenings. Additionally I hit the meetings (something I had gotten away from) and secured a new sponsor. Court was held the day before Christmas and in retrospect I have to say that we were successful in taking advantage of the court's generous spirit, Christmas and all!! My sentence was mind boggling - I nearly fell to my knees in gratitude. I was given two days in jail, which was waived for the mere five hours or so I spent in jail after I was picked up and I was given a month house arrest which ended up being 22 days. Additionally they allowed me to take a pre-planned trip across the country where I had already purchased airline tickets for the holidays...
You'll come out of this ok! Acceptance is the key my friend. It is what it is. You'll likely have the option of workhouse if they to impose jail time; moreover you can get the interlock device for your car so you can drive.
Please stay around here - you'll get the added support you'll need. You're not a bad person my friend, you do however, have a bad disease and you'll need to discover your own path for recovery - for active recovery, so that you do not become a repeat offender...
Keep the faith
~d
I have had my day in court and for what its worth, I'll share with you how it came out for me. Just know Marie, I know EXACTLY where you're at this morning!!
The morning after my DUI I called the mental health faciliy nearby and requested an assessment. I wanted to be proactive on my own without the need for anyone to tell me what to do. I then scheduled an appointment with a qualified criminal attorney. The assessment revealed a need for relapse out-patient treatment which I immediately enrolled in - this is held mon - wed evenings. Additionally I hit the meetings (something I had gotten away from) and secured a new sponsor. Court was held the day before Christmas and in retrospect I have to say that we were successful in taking advantage of the court's generous spirit, Christmas and all!! My sentence was mind boggling - I nearly fell to my knees in gratitude. I was given two days in jail, which was waived for the mere five hours or so I spent in jail after I was picked up and I was given a month house arrest which ended up being 22 days. Additionally they allowed me to take a pre-planned trip across the country where I had already purchased airline tickets for the holidays...
You'll come out of this ok! Acceptance is the key my friend. It is what it is. You'll likely have the option of workhouse if they to impose jail time; moreover you can get the interlock device for your car so you can drive.
Please stay around here - you'll get the added support you'll need. You're not a bad person my friend, you do however, have a bad disease and you'll need to discover your own path for recovery - for active recovery, so that you do not become a repeat offender...
Keep the faith
~d
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
Welcome to SR Marie 
I'm glad to see you're getting help cos, although I understand your fear of court, that really is the main thing here.
I hope everything works out as you want it to today
D
I'm glad to see you're getting help cos, although I understand your fear of court, that really is the main thing here.
I hope everything works out as you want it to today
D
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Posts: 49
Hi MarieAntoinette! I'm new here too - but I hope you don't mind my 2 cents. I was a binge drinker, too, although it was nearly 20 years ago. Driving home drunk one night, I ran a red light. I smashed into a car totalling my car and putting a hefty dent in the truck I hit. I was arrested. I spent ten days in jail. The jail didn't cure me - but the fact that no one was hurt changed me. I'll always be grateful for that. I haven't even considered drinking and driving since.
I'm not sure where the 3 months time frame is coming from, but it's unlikely you will get that harsh a sentence. I'm glad you are getting the help you need, and congrats for having an understanding hubby. And good luck!
I'm not sure where the 3 months time frame is coming from, but it's unlikely you will get that harsh a sentence. I'm glad you are getting the help you need, and congrats for having an understanding hubby. And good luck!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 6
Thank you so much for the replies. It does help to know I'm not alone.
All that happened today is I got my trial date. So it's another month in limbo. I'll speak to my lawyer tomorrow about the discovery, since I still don't know what my BAC was, and the charges are contingent upon that. I'm in PA, so if you are in the highest tier, the minimum mandatory sentence is 3 months, so that's where my concern is coming from.
Anyway, hope all of you are having a good evening!
All that happened today is I got my trial date. So it's another month in limbo. I'll speak to my lawyer tomorrow about the discovery, since I still don't know what my BAC was, and the charges are contingent upon that. I'm in PA, so if you are in the highest tier, the minimum mandatory sentence is 3 months, so that's where my concern is coming from.
Anyway, hope all of you are having a good evening!
Om, Aum, Ohm...
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Punxsutawney/Pittsburgh
Posts: 4,797
Keep posting, and when you get enough posts to send a private message, send me your location. I'll do my best to dig you up some women you can contact in AA. Depending on whether you're on the left or right side of the state, I might be one of them.
Peace & Love,
Sugah
Peace & Love,
Sugah
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 426
Hey there... I've been in very similar straits, and can attest to how daunting & terrifying the experience feels. I actually just finished a sentence of a few months for a DUI injury accident (my first & only offense of any sort). What I wanted to say was this - regardless of how insurmountable this challenge may seem, and regardless of how unpleasant the consequences end up being, it is do-able, and you can get thru it. You may not believe it, as I did not, but you can get thru it. I wish you the best, and of course hope you are able to escape any significant jail time, but if that's not a possibility, as it sometimes isn't, hopefully you can be assured by the fact that other (super normal) folks have weathered it intact.
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