Hey, guys this is my first post on the site. I came for
some advice. I lost my license January 2011 from a 2nd OWI charge. I'm eligible for a hearing Jan 29th 2012, which is coming up. I have maintained sobriety since Novemer 2010, however I didn't start attending AA until April of this year. I heard in my state (Michigan) that the hearing officer looks for a year of AA documented before granting a license. I am aware of the letters, SAE, and other documents I need, I'm just concerned that I would be denied since I'd only have 8/9 months of AA. Should I just wait until one year? Is an attorney necessary in the process? My sponsor has given me alot of insight, yet I think I would feel more comfortable with the help of an attorney. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!
Honesty is the best policy. You have nothing to lose by just going in with the paperwork you have and explaining to the judge you have been sober the whole time, but with the aid of AA since April. He may believe you, or he may reschedule in April. If you get a lawyer, you may have a better chance, or you may pay $2500 for a hearing in April because the lawyer fails in December. I think I would just go with what I have unless you feel like the Judge will just get pissed without the full year. Was the full year edict in writing somewhere? Tom
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"You're in the right place. That's the door right there. Turn around."
I did it the honest way and had an attorney. I did have a year of AA tho. In my experience, If you are honestly working a program they will see it. If your in this just to get your license back they will see that too. I am in Michigan and had 2 OWI. I lost my license for a year. I came to AA to do what the courts wanted. But I was lucky enough to find a new life in the process. I have 4 years in the program. I know how scary it is, but believe me when I say, If you are honestly working on not drinking if you are an alcoholic, or if your not an alcoholic, and can prove you are not a danger to be on the road all will go your way. Sorry to say in the long run a lawyer is extremly helpful. They have been thru it a million times and know what the State is looking for. Either way you choose good luck to you!!
Oh and by the way you do not go up against the judge. Getting your license back has nothing to do with the courts. You have to convince the State of Michigan. Its up to the Secretary of State and boy oh boy they mean business.
Welcome Wings. God loves the truth. I've learned I take care of my responsibilities and trust my Higher Power with the rest. If your supposed to have your license back in Jan you will, if not you won't. It's up to the one who presides over all of us.
I have to be sober to have anything worth having or keeping. I cannot be honest without being sober as a condition for it. I've never had an OWI or DUI or DWI. I have done service in the state classes for operators...There is a whole lot of repeat offenders in those classes. Alcoholism...cunning, powerful and baffling. Keep coming back
Wings, did you attend AA regularly? Pick up chips and celebrate your year sober in a meeting? If so, I'd say that the people in your meeting could substantiate a year if you celebrated a year there. Imo the year of sobriety is equally important as the time spent in meetings, as long as you were actively participating.
You need letters from at least 3 to 5 people who really know you and have watched you change. I am talking people at work, club activiites( rotary, RailRoad, Bowling etc) others that see you on a regular basis, church members/pastors.
Need to know the meaning of some of the steps depending on where you are at in the program--history of AA like Bill and Bob the Bostonian Group, Akron, The Washingtonian Group.
And say you are a grateful recovering alcoholic. And tell the truth on how many times a week you go to meetings. And how you get there and if having problems why not geting to meetings (work schedule, medical reasons, bus schedule does not work wwith yours, no money for taxi, etc)
Personally I just told the truth, and let the chips fall where they may and it all worked out, the letters helped maybe, but these people watch other people lie to them all day every day, and personally when I came in and told the truth and didn't put on a show they treated me like I was a breath of fresh air, with 5 DUI's back in the day, with scores of moving violations and dozens of failures to appear, I had some experience with this.
When I cleaned up and surrendered and just came in and was truthful, they....liked me and were helpful, they -want- to help people, they -want- to have a feel-good story to tell at the dinner table, treat this like any other problem in sobriety, be truthful and let the chips fall where they may, the judge actually assigned me to counsel others with alcohol problems for my community service so I could help others rather then pick up trash on the side of the freeway
This stuff all has a way of working itself out beyond our wildest dreams in sobriety, it's one of the promises that have come true for me
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Light a man a fire and he's warm for a night, set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life
Im a Michigander with some drunk driving, licence restoration experience ....
I wish Id have known when I appealed the first time with only 4 months sober that the state only allows appeals once a year.
I had 2 offenses, the last one in the year of 2000, and I have seen the laws get tuffer and tuffer each year. And they should. Now that Im sober, I say, "Get the drunks off the roads".
The DLAD ( driver licence appeal division ) will inform you of what you need. If you stay sober, do the work and put the rest in Gods hands it will work out just exactly like its suppose to. Patience is key in these times of waiting and wondering.
I remember my 2nd offense I hired an attorney to represent me in the court system. My initial consultation with Him he said, " You better start going to AA cuz' the Secretary of State looks at AA like they are God". ( hehehehe .... if He only knew... )
Not all attorney's are shmucks and dishonest. But the ones that I hired represented me well, cuz I was honest with them.
....