Jad123

Really looking for some help and support here. I want to know that everything is going to be alright and that I can still have a professional career. I have a bachelors degree and many years of consistent professional experience.

I also now have a DUI.... I've quit all alcohol and don't plan on drinking ever again as it does not align with my future goals, objectives or life.

It was late, we had been drinking out on the town. We decided to go home and I made an impaired decision to drive us home. Shortly after I got pulled over, was arrested and my car was impounded. I was also booked and held in jail overnight until I sobered up. I was released the next morning and got my car out of impound the following day. My BAC blood test came back as .18. There was no accident and no injuries or property damage. Just me and my impaired decision.

I am now really, really concerned with the question of how this will affect my future? Will I be able to get a professional job? As I understand it punishment involves a criminal record which is public with even a mugshot. In my state I cannot seal this record. Other crimes can be sealed but this one cant be.

I just want to hit the fast forward button to 2 years from now and see...

And what will happen to me in the short term?

MantaLady

Hi Jad, I am in the U.K. so it’s a little different here but same as USA I have to be checked for jobs and my DUI shows up. I work in finance and retail and have a professional role, there are some places that I cannot apply to as they will not take anyone with a criminal record and if there is plenty of competition for the role that all have clean records...well I don’t get a look in. Some places are more lenient and consider a DUI a lesser crime therefore are happy to employ me. It has cut down the opportunities open to me but if I am honest I have worked for the last 5 years no problem with this on my record. If the application form asks about it always declare it. For example some of the banking organisations I work for have access to a database which would flag if I have lied about criminal convictions on other job applications (classed as fraud) so the conviction becomes a moot point as I would have shown myself to be dishonest first and foremost.

Try not to worry too much as it can become all consuming and affect how you carry yourself In interviews as your worrying in the back of your mind and not get the job because of how you come across rather than the conviction itself. Best of luck xx

FreedomCA

You made a mistake like we all do. Just get help and all will work out in time.

doggonecarl

Great questions for a lawyer. Hope you get one.

I don't know about your drinking history. Did you drink alcoholically? Are you apt to struggle to stay quit?

Don't let the anxiety of your DUI carry over into drinking.

Fearlessat50

I have not had a DUI. But many close calls, and one accident that nearly killed me and to this day don’t understand why I was not punished with a DUI. Maybe if I had, I would have quit long ago. I am sorry about your DUI. As others have said, don’t let it consume you. While it is one mark against you, you are so much more than that one mistake. I would focus on the positives and what you have to offer and let this be the catalyst that stops your drinking for good. I don’t know about your drinking history and how problematic it was. After an incident like this, it’s easy to be motivated in the beginning to stay sober. But without a long term sobriety plan and support in place, it’s easy to forget the past and start believing that the problem was never really that bad and drinking in moderation will work. Many of us here have been down that path, and it doesn’t work, and in fact just gets worse. Welcome to this forum and hope to see you around here.

Jad123

No I didn't basically just had drinks during social events and maybe when going out to dinner.

I am 100 percent committed to no drinking, I was planning on quittinv before this any way and had been weening it off.

This particular social event, I allowed myself to let loose a little bit. Big mistake.

Buckley3

Hey... kudos on you for sharing your story. Getting it out helps and there's definitely no shame here - many of us have been through this or worse and are living pretty good lives.

Definitely at least consult with an attorney. Don't let them scare you or talk you into anything until you've talked with 2-3. Have a list of questions and make sure you ask all the questions regardless of what they tell you. Most will provide a decently thorough consultation for free. They can provide you with a decent understanding of what you are facing. DUI laws in the U.S. vary from state to state. Sentencing can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Aside from a decently high BAC, there's nothing in your case that puts you in any kind of aggravated category - which means you're probably looking at whatever the standard is for your area.

There's a lot you can educate yourself on too. And you should. You should learn as much as you can about how the legal system in the jurisdiction you are facing the charge handles these things - it will go a long way in helping you decide if you actually need to retain an attorney or not as well as take away a lot of the anxiety that is just fear of the unknown. Use google to find out what circuit court district your charge is in. Then use google to search for 'OWI or DUI sentencing guidelines' for your specific circuit court jurisdiction. You should be able to find the standard guidelines judges use to issue sentences - it will depend on several factors that usually place your charge into one of three categories - mitigated, intermediate, or aggravated. Usually those factors are defined in the guidelines - if I had to guess based on what you describe you are in mitigated column with maybe a multiplier or something for the BAC level.

If I had to guess you are not looking at a criminal conviction. It will likely be a civil/ traffic matter. Yes it will be on your record as a traffic issue. (Again, likely. The state I'm in OWIs don't become criminal until the 3rd. Misdemeanor at #3, felony for any offense after that. Up to then it's a civil matter.) That said my state is probably one of the more lenient ones and I do not know the specifics of your state, so again, talk with an attorney. In general, if it's not a felony you don't have too much to worry about. Despite what our egos tell us, most human resources departments don't have time to be running continuous background checks on existing employees. In terms of it barring you from future opportunities, there are usually workarounds for this in the event it comes up.

Professionally it depends on a few things. If you bring high value in a culture that really gives a crap about their people I suspect they will work with you to a great extent. If you work in a less supportive culture or profession and the penalties you are facing do not come with significant jail time and allow you to immediately apply for an occupational license then you may be able to get through the whole thing and basically no one really needs to know anything. Again, it's about specifics.

There are two separate issues here. First is just the very objective, straight up legal matters. Those are unemotional and very matter of fact. You have a right to and you should do whatever you can to educate yourself about them and defend yourself/ place yourself in the best possible situation to mitigate the impact.

2nd is the underlying cause, which is entirely separate from the legal matter. I'm glad you are acknowledging this:

This is exactly where I am. In fact, as I've looked back I've realized I never really liked the whole scene anyway. I've been sober almost 7 months and there's not a damn thing I miss about it. I'm energized, focused, feeling good and looking forward to a lot of really good living. You can do that too regardless of any short term inconveniences.

Keep in mind though that you are feeling some very natural emotions right now. Guilt, shame, etc.. It's almost like the grieving process. Good. Let the feelings flow. You need to feel them. But don't stop feeling self compassion and don't be too hard on yourself. And as much as possible don't let any shame or negative feelings influence how you handle this with the legal system or your employer. You need to assess those things more objectively and do what it in your best interest to do... (staying humble of course, and being willing to be transparent and honest without being naive.)

What you are likely to find on your court date is that there are about 30 other people in the room. Unfortunately there are a TON of drunk driving charges issues each week. Especially on first offenses the courts are just processing people in and out on them en masse. So, did you screw up and make a bad decision? Yes. Are you alone or the only one? Not by a long shot.

TLDR; educate yourself about your situation with facts. Make logical, rational decisions about how to handle the legal and professional impact to mitigate in your favor as much as possible. Feel the emotional impact and use it to address the underlying concerns. (Life without booze is pretty awesome by the way.) And most importantly own your **** and don't make excuses. See this for what it is. Don't make it any more or less serious than what it is.

Feel free to PM me if you'd like. I remember very well how scary those first few days are.

-B

Jad123

Thanks for your post. It was nice to read and makes me feel better when I read it.

Where I live a DUI is a misdemeanor and carries significant penalties at the judges discretion.

I've come very far and I can't believe I did something to compromise that. I'm one of those people that lives for work, I really enoy it and get fulfillment from it, boring right?

Perhaps I will feel better after sentencing or 2 years from now. But posts like yours and others help me get through these unknown and tough times. Like I said I didn't get into an accident or injure anyone or damage anything. I can't tell you how thankful I am for that. However I guess DUI punishments are so harsh because while they want to give you a second chance, they don't want you to go out and repeat it again because it endangers other drivers.

So you had a DUI as well? How long ago?

Buckley3

3. First one was 22 years ago. 2nd one was 8 years ago. Last one was this February.

Not proud of it at all. But it is what it is. I don't look back and, oddly enough, I don't have any real regrets. I've accepted my life and I own it now more than ever. As I type this I have am on house arrest until January. The fines this time around - and all other associated costs - are north of $15k. I'll have an occupational license for 3 years along with an IID.

All in all, I seriously consider myself lucky. I didn't hurt anyone, and I'm in a state that it's still not considered a felony.

I'll not only survive this, but it's already been a net positive. I plan to thrive.

It woke me up, helped get me sober, and forced me to make some changes to my life that are overwhelmingly positive.

Even with a misdemeanor, you'll get through it fine. Just own it, educate yourself, and make whatever changes you have to to make things stick.

Best-

B

Jad123

I think this quoted part above is what really needs to be done here for me. I've taken an alcohol education class and substance abuse eval to educate myself more. But yes more importantly whatever changes I make need to stick and they will.

I'm glad you're doing well and plan to thrive. In hardships previous to this one, when I wanted to throw the towel in and give up I asked myself. "Do you want to be the person 50 years from now who simply gave up or do you want to be the person that gave it your all and overcame the hardship with everything to show for it?"

I've never given up so far and don't intend to. Job applications these days ask if a person has a misdemeanor, so I will disclose it in hopes that honesty will speak to my character more than an oversight in thinking.

D122y

Jad,

Hundreds of years of experience here.

This place saved my life.

Booze is poison anyway. I am not letting my upbringing and the media keep me drinking.

Someone already said it. I'd spend the money for a good lawyer and the DUI can disappear.

Thanks.

Jad123

I do have a great lawyer and I am thankful to have that lawyer. But the evidence is concrete. I had a blood draw to test my bac level.

Buckley3

Keep this attitude and you'll be just fine. The whole never given up thing and focus where you want to be long term.

As far as job applications go... there's another thing to think about.

In my personal opinion, if a person's only differentiating factor or advantage when looking for a job is what's on a job application or just what's in an interview there are bigger potential problems than having a misdemeanor.

In today's job market you're going to want to try to be creative and leverage your network. The interview and application should almost be a formality. Maybe harder to do when getting foot in the door, but after getting into the industry you want to be in it's your network and the quality of your portfolio of work that should get your next job.

Best to you-

B

PhoenixJ

support offered

bexxed

I think the only thing you can really do, aside from work with the attorney, is not drink again.

If you get through this, and then give yourself a pass, and another, and another.... you’re looking at your worst fears all over again. If you use this moment as what it is -a wake up call, it could be a gift, in time.

The choice is yours.

Glad you made it here and glad no one was hurt.