Finding sobriety through the DUI Court Program

Drunk-driving statistics show that two in three drivers will be involved in a drunk-driving crash — whether as victim or perpetrator — in their lifetime, and roughly 10,000 people each year continue to die in drunk-driving crashes. Our firm is speaking out about the rehabilitation options available to DUI offenders to help stop the cycle of abuse and bring these numbers down.

As a DUI-experienced attorney, I have seen the effects the system has on my clients, both negative and positive. In recent years, however, I have seen more positive outcomes by encouraging second- and third-time offenders to apply for the DUI Court Program. Many have successfully exited the program sober and, to this day, have remained sober.

One recent client — a mother of three young-adult daughters — is a powerful example. Hers was a very challenging case, as she received her second and third DUIs about four months apart. It could quite easily have gone the other way, and she could have been serving time and missing out on being with her daughters. Instead, she reached out for help; she was a champion in recognizing that she had a problem. She graduated from her 90-day recovery program and continues to return with graduate status, where she remains of service to residents and staff. She is a true inspiration to those who suffer from alcoholism.

The Superior Court of California DUI Court Program is a court-supervised program for DUI offenders who have no history of violence, drug sales, or gang activity. This voluntary program includes comprehensive treatment, supervision, and regular court appearances throughout a minimum one-year term. The Orange County DUI Court has been selected multiple times as an "Academy Court" by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals and the National Center for DWI Courts — a distinction that makes it one of the top DUI/DWI courts in the United States, whose procedures and staff are used to train other courts across the country.

As an attorney, I am there to defend my clients — but when options are available to get them help in the process, and we as a society can make an impact on someone's life, that is always the better way to go. The system wants to help. If we can get one more person sober, we are not only helping them save their own life, but potentially other lives around them. It is a win-win for everyone.