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If I Get Arrested For A DUI Will I Have To Go To Rehab?

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Mar 28, 2018

Many people come and ask me when we sit down for the first meeting related to their DUI case whether I think it's a good idea for them to go to rehab and whether it will help them in their DUI matter.

The reality is this – the prosecutors who see people who have to go to rehab related to a DUI see those people as a threat. Somebody who drinks way too much and therefore has to go to recovery is not somebody they typically want out on the roads in Los Angeles.

So, if you have a horrible alcohol problem and think going to rehab will help you as a person, then obviously, rehab might be the answer for you. If you have multiple DUI's or a felony DUI – where you're looking at county time or prison time – then a lot of times, what I've been able to do is get the person into rehab instead.

The theory behind that is to tell the prosecutor to listen – you want the person off the street for some time, live-in rehab will do that. Also, it will get to the route of their problem, which is alcohol. When it comes to using a rehab-type strategy in a DUI case in Los Angeles, you're trying to avoid jail or prison time.

So, it doesn't make any sense for those going to rehab or doing AA meetings when they have a first-time DUI. It doesn't make any sense. It probably could backfire if the prosecutors find out about it because they will think that person has an alcohol problem; they need to put more restrictions on them than the average person.

So, in determining whether or not you should go to rehab, there are many different things you should consult. First and foremost, you talk to your attorney about it, and then you both decide whether or not that's a strategy that you want to use about your DUI case.

Often, when people are facing jail time, they consider going to rehab as it relates to their DUI case. However, before you do something like that, you need to realize that whatever days you get in recovery, you're going to have to do.

So, if you get 180 days in a live-in rehab, you're going to have to do the full 180 days where you can't get out of the recovery. If, on the other hand, you get 180 days in the county jail, you'll probably be out within a brief period because of the over-crowding in the Los Angeles county jail as I submit this blog post.

Reviewing Best Strategy With DUI Lawyer

So, your best strategy is to sit down with your DUI defense attorney, let them have all the details. Please don't lie about it. Don't add things. Don't omit things. Give them all the elements that are necessary for them to help you make the right decision, and then once they have that information, they will assist you, they will give you what they think is the right way to handle it, they can negotiate for you and resolve your DUI matter.

About the Author

Ronald D. Hedding

What Makes Ronald Hedding Uniquely Qualified To Represent You? I've been practicing criminal defense for almost 30 years and have handled thousands of cases, including all types of state and federal sex crime cases. All consultations are discreet and confidential.

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Hedding Law Firm is committed to answering your questions about DUI law issues in California and throughout the United States.

I'll privately discuss your case with you at your convenience. All consultations are free, discreet, and confidential. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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