Guys I am in trouble, got dui charge
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Toronto, Canada,
Posts: 1,238
Guys I am in trouble, got dui charge
I screwed up guys, and got charged. I spent 1 night in the jail. I don't know what to do now. I can't even drive for 3 months, and I have to go to court next month. Can someone please advise me on what to do? Someone who has been thru something like this and has experience?
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Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,393
What’s to advise? You got yourself on the punishment track. The courts will do your advising for a good bit now.
Advice is to sober up and get with a program, for real. Can you use this as a needed wake up call? rather than yet another thing to engineer your way out of, only to have a more fatal outcome later?
Advice is to sober up and get with a program, for real. Can you use this as a needed wake up call? rather than yet another thing to engineer your way out of, only to have a more fatal outcome later?
Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Wareham, Mass
Posts: 7,067
Hi, whopper.
Several posters have been in your situation.
Perhaps they will weigh in with their experience.
If this is your first offense, it may not be too bad.
Get an attorney, one who is experienced in handling dui’s.
And stop drinking, my friend.
Go to meetings and start working a program.
Don’t have to tell you that getting a dui is nothing compared to what could have happened.
Several posters have been in your situation.
Perhaps they will weigh in with their experience.
If this is your first offense, it may not be too bad.
Get an attorney, one who is experienced in handling dui’s.
And stop drinking, my friend.
Go to meetings and start working a program.
Don’t have to tell you that getting a dui is nothing compared to what could have happened.
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
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I think it's a good idea to hire a lawyer to help you through this.
And, staying sober is the best thing you can do right now. Any way that you can show your sobriety to the court would be helpful.
And, staying sober is the best thing you can do right now. Any way that you can show your sobriety to the court would be helpful.
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 976
I agree with freeowl:
Do whatever it takes to remain sober and hire an attorney. Lots of variables here. Did you do a field sobriety test? What was your BAC? What state do you live in? Look up the laws in that state. What contributed to you being pulled over? Routine traffic stop, ran a stop sign, an accident, another driver reported you? Lots play into this.
If you go to AA, get a signature, if you go to rehab or an IOP have all of that documentation. The courts will take that into consideration. DO NOT drive on a suspended license at all and remain sober.
Do whatever it takes to remain sober and hire an attorney. Lots of variables here. Did you do a field sobriety test? What was your BAC? What state do you live in? Look up the laws in that state. What contributed to you being pulled over? Routine traffic stop, ran a stop sign, an accident, another driver reported you? Lots play into this.
If you go to AA, get a signature, if you go to rehab or an IOP have all of that documentation. The courts will take that into consideration. DO NOT drive on a suspended license at all and remain sober.
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Washington State
Posts: 591
Take it one day at a time, you don't have to try to solve it all at once, or deal with all of the consequences all at once. See if you can get yourself a lawyer who specializes in dui cases. You can turn this negative into a positive if you can use it as motivation to get sober.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Toronto, Canada,
Posts: 1,238
Originally Posted by Behappy1 
I agree with freeowl:
Do whatever it takes to remain sober and hire an attorney. Lots of variables here. Did you do a field sobriety test? What was your BAC? What state do you live in? Look up the laws in that state. What contributed to you being pulled over? Routine traffic stop, ran a stop sign, an accident, another driver reported you? Lots play into this.
If you go to AA, get a signature, if you go to rehab or an IOP have all of that documentation. The courts will take that into consideration. DO NOT drive on a suspended license at all and remain sober.
Do whatever it takes to remain sober and hire an attorney. Lots of variables here. Did you do a field sobriety test? What was your BAC? What state do you live in? Look up the laws in that state. What contributed to you being pulled over? Routine traffic stop, ran a stop sign, an accident, another driver reported you? Lots play into this.
If you go to AA, get a signature, if you go to rehab or an IOP have all of that documentation. The courts will take that into consideration. DO NOT drive on a suspended license at all and remain sober.
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 976
Originally Posted by whopper
I was not driving at the time but I was behind the wheel. I asked someone for help and the police show up. They give me breath test, but it didn't register since I could not blow hard enough.
Have you checked into an IOP, rehab, AA or smart? I would start something immediately. You could also start on naltrexone, vivitrol, Antabuse or something medically rx’d and add meetings to this.
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Join Date: Apr 2008
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If you weren't driving, and they don't have a readable breathalyzer result, I don't see how they can charge you with DUI. Definitely get an attorney. Yes this is going to cost quite a bit of money, but you will get through it. Hang in there.
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 976
Originally Posted by suki44883
if you weren't driving, and they don't have a readable breathalyzer result, i don't see how they can charge you with dui. Definitely get an attorney. Yes this is going to cost quite a bit of money, but you will get through it. Hang in there.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Toronto, Canada,
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Originally Posted by Behappy1
That’s a good sign. Did you. Do a field sobriety test? If you were behind the wheel HAD you driven?? Did you admit to driving? Call an attorney asap. Yes, this will not be cheap @ all. But take it a day @ a time, don’t drive and remain sober. Be thankful that nobody was hurt.
Have you checked into an IOP, rehab, AA or smart? I would start something immediately. You could also start on naltrexone, vivitrol, Antabuse or something medically rx’d and add meetings to this.
Have you checked into an IOP, rehab, AA or smart? I would start something immediately. You could also start on naltrexone, vivitrol, Antabuse or something medically rx’d and add meetings to this.
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 976
That doesn’t make sense! Definitely get an attorney right away. I would still do whatever it takes to get sober. For your own sake. You’ve admitted you have a problem. I see you’re in Canada. I am not sure how the laws apply up there.
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Phoenix
Posts: 1,189
Hi Whopper,
I unfortunately have had 2 DUI's, but they were 15-17 years ago. My lawyer expenses were around 10K each, and on the first offense I had mandatory drug and alcohol counseling and lost my license for 3 months. On my second offense, I had one month of house arrest, community service, 2 years of drug and alcohol testing, daily breathalyzers, and an interlock system in my car for one year. I blew a .235 each time...UGH
It seems as though you may be able to get this thrown out (as you weren't driving), but because you had your keys on you and did a breathalyzer, you may have a chance at a lessor charge. As you can see, the main thing is that this is your 1st and LAST DUI...it only gets worse from here, if you re-offend. Get a lawyer first and get sober so you can mentally deal with the consequences!
Be well, this isn't the end of the world, just a new beginning.
I unfortunately have had 2 DUI's, but they were 15-17 years ago. My lawyer expenses were around 10K each, and on the first offense I had mandatory drug and alcohol counseling and lost my license for 3 months. On my second offense, I had one month of house arrest, community service, 2 years of drug and alcohol testing, daily breathalyzers, and an interlock system in my car for one year. I blew a .235 each time...UGH
It seems as though you may be able to get this thrown out (as you weren't driving), but because you had your keys on you and did a breathalyzer, you may have a chance at a lessor charge. As you can see, the main thing is that this is your 1st and LAST DUI...it only gets worse from here, if you re-offend. Get a lawyer first and get sober so you can mentally deal with the consequences!
Be well, this isn't the end of the world, just a new beginning.
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
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You need to speak with an attorney Whopper. None of us were there so it's impossible to speculate/predict what might happen legally.
But above and beyond that you have to focus on the real problem - your drinking. That's the reason you are in the situation you are in, regardless of the outcome. If you are charged, showing the judge that you are serious about getting sober and actually doing it will potentially help you in the process. And it will also prevent this from happening again.
But above and beyond that you have to focus on the real problem - your drinking. That's the reason you are in the situation you are in, regardless of the outcome. If you are charged, showing the judge that you are serious about getting sober and actually doing it will potentially help you in the process. And it will also prevent this from happening again.
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Join Date: May 2017
Location: SoCal
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Without giving you a field sobriety test they had no probable cause to give you a breathalyzer test. Of course the laws could be different in Canada.
If this were a case of you got pulled over, failed a field test, blew over the limit then failed the blood/urine test then I...if it were me, wouldn't bother with a lawyer. But in your case I would at least consult an attorney
If this were a case of you got pulled over, failed a field test, blew over the limit then failed the blood/urine test then I...if it were me, wouldn't bother with a lawyer. But in your case I would at least consult an attorney
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Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: SC
Posts: 56
I don't know what the laws in Canada are like, or what it takes to prove the state's case against you. Here in the US, assuming you are being truthful, these charges would be nearly impossible to prove. I'm assuming yall have jury trials and I can't see a jury convicting you. Get a lawyer even if you have to go in debt. Above all stop drinking!!
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
Originally Posted by whopper
There was no field test. My vehicle could not even start, or move. I went to the station to blow.
yes, ive been through this and rightfully so.
however, i suggest not doing what i did- i didnt take it seriously and didnt stop drinking. did the "controlled drinking" think for a very short time and in a very short time was back to what i was before.
and got worse.
what i do suggest is deciding ya want to stop drinking. then get into action getting help to stay stopped.
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