Alcoholism is a devastating illness. It is an equal opportunity destroyer. It distinguishes neither age, class, gender, nor race. And its effects are far reaching. It not only wreaks havoc in the life of the one suffering from it, but the lives of everyone that cares about that person. I know from personal experience. All three of my older brothers suffer from alcoholism.

I have spent my life watching alcohol slowly usurp the willpower and self-control from each of them. My brothers started drinking heavily in high school. It started at weekend parties, but quickly became a favorite hobby. Before long, they were hiding six-packs in the local river, to keep them hidden (and cold). They would go to the river and drink before school. They would get to school, and by second period, they were “good and buzzed.”

My brothers were very popular in high school. They played football, and had many friends. Everyone knew and liked them. They began experimenting with alcohol at weekend parties. Each party got a bit wilder than the last. This “upped” their cool quotient. As the adulation increased, so did their drinking.

They never got busted for drinking at school. And they never really got into any major trouble with the law. At least not in high school.

Two of my brothers still drink pretty heavily, but have relatively normal lives. I guess you would call them functional alcoholics. Their personal lives are usually a mess, but they have a roof, clothes and food. My oldest brother, though, has had a much rougher time with his alcoholism.

My oldest brother has been in and out of rehab, AA, and crisis intervention more times than I can count. I have had to have him Baker-acted a few times for attempted suicide. (Not a pleasant experience for a doting little sister, let me tell you.) I cannot recount the heartbreak and utter sorrow and despondence my mother and I have experienced in trying to help him recover. I suppose it is what I have witnessed while growing up that has pushed me to get my degree in Psychology. They are so screwed up; I want to “unscrew” them.

The first few times my brother went to rehab, it didn’t stick. He fell off the wagon almost immediately. He did it for show, for the family. He half-heartedly did the program and figured out exactly what he needed to say to get out again. He told them what they wanted to hear, went home, and continued as if nothing happened. He continued to drink as if he had never left. Two broken marriages and three kids later, he ended up losing almost everything. He entered rehab again, this time with the intention of making it work. And it did work-for almost seven years. He got his life back on track, and he found faith. He was attending church services every week, often more than once a week. He was even helping other men get and stay sober. He had just gotten a brand new house, and a truck that actually ran. Everything was wonderful. Then he fell off the wagon again.

This time when he fell off the wagon, he fell HARD. He even began doing drugs in addition to the alcohol. He stayed off the wagon for quite awhile, neglecting family and work. He didn’t pay his bills, and he didn’t really care. He would often call me, telling me he couldn’t understand why he kept on doing this to himself. I assured him that he was the only one who DID know why he continued to do it. I told him he kept doing it because he liked it, and because he could, that he knew deep down what he had to do to stop-he needed long term rehab. I let him know that I would support his decision to go to such a rehab, but that until he committed himself to doing it, that I couldn’t take any more phone calls from him. I let him know how it broke my (and our mother’s) heart to see him throw everything he has worked so hard for, away like trash, how very much I love him and how I want only good things for him. I also warned him against “copping out;” I reminded him how he remained sober for seven years, and how very good God had been to him during those years. He agreed, and the next day checked himself in to a long term facility, where I wrote to him every single week, letting him know how we all are doing, what things were going on, reminding him that we love him, that we are proud of his effort to get his life back, and that he was in our prayers.

My brother is sober today. I can’t say he won’t slip up again. I can say that I’ll be there to help him get back on track when he does. Recovery from alcoholism is a life long process. One is never fully recovered. With a determination to quit and stay sober, a supportive family, and “whole-lotta help from God,” it can be done.

There are many simple and obvious choices on how to avoid a DUI, but first and foremost one must possess the integrity to make them. Humans, in general, often feel infallible. “I had a few drinks and drove home fine last time.” The success in that venture was created by an alcohol fueled illusion. Who hasn’t felt the overwhelming sense of relief at making it home safely after a few drinks? We amuse ourselves with the admission of barely remembering “how” we got home in one piece. What these DUI drivers may not realize is that there were other drivers on the road who had to swerve to avoid them, and ended up in the middle of a tree. They were not very successful on making it home to their daughter’s birthday party in one piece.

People also speak of the time it takes for alcohol to affect the blood, and impair mental and physical functions. Time spent on calculating how one can get away with driving home after a few too many drinks could be better spent on calculating better ways of getting everybody home safe. It is not about us already having enough responsibility in our life that we can not be bothered with anyone else’s. It is an easy choice to make, but how easy will it then be to deal with the consequences of an “unsuccessful” driving home under the influence?

Often it is not until something terrible happens that teaches us not to drink and drive. We tested our limits and found the boundary line. We swear not to do it again, in court that is, surrounded by a group of strangers who are judging us by this one act. They do not care that you made it home a hundred other times.
A simple way to avoid a DUI is to accept and fully understand that it is, in every way, irresponsible and illegal to drink and drive. You may care about yourself more than others, but is injuring or killing yourself the best way to show it? There are no “do-overs”. Once you are caught and pulled over, the rush of adrenalin through your body can be more intoxicating, and your responses to police enforcement even more so. Once you wake to find the engine of your car resting in your lap, and blood on your windshield that is not your own, it is too late to call a cab.

Before you put yourself in that situation, consider arranging other transport such as hiring a personal driver and a car for the evening. If you are going downtown for a big night out, rent a nearby hotel or motel room with your friends. If you all become too intoxicated to call a cab, do not be offended if the establishment you are drinking in does it for you. Budget for your safety. If you can not afford to arrange for other transportation then you can not afford to go out, nor can you afford the fines and repercussions that occur when you are caught driving under the influence.

This type of planning does not take away from the spontaneity of having a good time; instead it offers you complete freedom that you have taken responsible steps to guarantee it, and also a clean driving record.

“I can do this. I can drive home. I’m not drunk. Yeah, I can do this.” That’s what you told yourself as you climbed behind the wheel and headed home from a night out with friends. You thought everything was going fine until you saw those flashing lights in the review mirror and heard the siren signaling you to pull your vehicle over to the side of the road. You realize now that you should not have gotten behind the wheel; that you weren’t sober enough to make the trip home without endangering yourself or others. So, what do you do if you find yourself in this situation? How do you respond? What should you expect?

The first thing to expect is that you will probably sit in your car for a few minutes before the officer approaches the vehicle. This is typically when the officer will be calling in the stop to dispatch and when he will be running an id on the vehicle to find who it is registered to. During this time don’t fidget in your vehicle. Don’t start looking around under the seats for your identification. If it’s not where you can reach it wait until the office approaches before climbing into the back seat to retrieve it.
When the officer approaches the vehicle he will ask for identification, proof of insurance, and registration. Hopefully these things are where you can get to them easily. If not explain to the officer that your purse is in the trunk or in the back seat and you will need to get it. Don’t start reaching for it without explaining what you are doing as this might signal to the officer that you are trying to hide something.

Always be polite to the officer. Do not give the office grief for pulling you over. It’s his job to ensure the safety of motorists and he is not to blame for your poor decision. If you are violent or abusive with the officer you have a better chance of spending the night in a jail cell. If you are nice to the officer you may be able to get out of the situation with only a warning. Of course the officer won’t allow you to drive home but they may be willing to give you a ride to your destination or allow you to call someone to come pick you up.

During your interaction with the officer he will be looking for tell-tell signs of intoxication. These signs might include erratic behavior, abusive behavior, bloodshot eyes, smell of alcohol, slurring of words, and clumsiness. If the officer notices any of these they will then ask you to exit the car. Don’t exit the vehicle unless the officer requests as this may be seen as a threat toward the officer. When exiting the vehicle the officer will then ask you to perform some test.

These tests are known as field sobriety tests. These tests look for reaction time and balance which are not normal when a driver is intoxicated. Field sobriety tests usually include having the driver close their eyes and put their finger to their nose. Another test used is having the driver walk a straight line down the road edge marking line. If a driver cannot perform these tasks or has a lot of difficulty the officer can assume the person is above the legal limit of consumption.

At this point the officer may ask you to take a Breathalyzer test. Most states do not require this test to be taken immediately and drivers can refuse. Not taking the test at this time or refusing the test completely will most likely end in a trip to jail where you will be formally charged with driving while intoxicated.

The best thing to do is to avoid getting into this situation. Line up a designated driver before going out if you plan on drinking. Know your limit and when to stop. If you have any doubt at all that you aren’t sober call a cab. Driving while intoxicated can not only mess up your life but the lives of other innocent drivers on the road. Think about the consequences before taking the risk. Always try and contact a good DUI Lawyer in Arizona for further expertise and information.

Most people would prefer never to have to choose a lawyer for a criminal case. But in the real world, people are confronted by situations where having a lawyer with skills in a particular area of the law becomes necessary. Being prosecuted for DUI is not something a person should undergo without the “right” lawyer. In fact, to go through the process without a lawyer is foolhardy considering a conviction could result in points on your driver’s license; soaring insurance rates; revocation or suspension of your license; high fines; a permanent criminal record; and, yes, jail time. DUI is a traffic offense, but is considered a crime.

So how does one find a “good” DUI lawyer? Start with word of mouth: ask your friends. You can also look in the phone book under “Attorneys.” Most phone books sort attorneys by practice area. Look for “criminal law;” “traffic;” or “DUI/DWI.”

It is important to understand what “experienced” means. A lawyer can be “experienced” in a wide variety of practice areas. Because DUI cases are specialized, try to locate attorneys who used to be prosecutors or public defenders. They will know the courts, the judges, the officers, and what the prosecution will use to prosecute you. Never be afraid to ask the question, “How many DUI cases have you defended?” The more questions you ask before retaining an attorney, the better your chance of retaining someone best qualified to represent you. 
Someone who has a “general” practice, or whose practice focuses on personal injury, is not likely to best represent a DUI case.

DUI “law” changes constantly, so you want to ask the attorneys how up-to-date they are on DUI practice. A true DUI practitioner will be able to answer immediately. They will be able to tell you about the current state of the law and how it might affect the outcome of your case.
Of course the initial consultation should be free. And the retainer should be “reasonable” depending on the facts of the case. Expect a retainer of anywhere from $300 all the way up to several thousand dollars depending on whether there was an accident; an accident with injuries; or a pure “drunk driving where nothing happens on a deserted road in the middle of nowhere.”

That retainer is used for the initial process of defending you: performing legal research; drafting and filing motions; and interviewing witnesses. You might also be charged additional fees for the paralegal, associate attorney, expert witnesses (particularly if there is a fatality involved), copies, and legal research services on top of what the attorney charges for his or her time. Expect an attorney to charge between $85 to $300 an hour for their services and be up front regarding what you can afford. Some attorneys offer a “sliding scale” fee to accommodate people on a tight budget. A complex DUI case can easily cost $10-20,000 to defend because you could ultimately end up convicted of a felony such as aggravated assault or vehicular homicide. Regardless of the cost of defense, however, one thing must always happen: the attorney must fully disclose all fees, in writing, and give you time to review and approve them. Any attorney, who pressures you, even for $300.00, should not be retained.

And never believe that because an attorney is nice, you cannot reject their offer of services. You are not entering the morass of choosing an attorney based on personality, you want someone who can effectively defend you. You should also check with the state supreme court to see whether the particular attorney has ever been subject to discipline and ask about it.

One last critical issue: if you do not understand something the attorney has told you, ask him to clarify or explain what he or she said. There could be no worse situation than retaining an attorney who cannot explain his actions or strategy in layman’s terms.

The main point is: choose carefully and ask questions. Attorneys are trained to do what you are asking them to, and all attorneys took a class in criminal law. But some attorneys are more qualified through experience and training in certain areas of the law than others. By asking questions and not being intimidated by the law, you stand a good chance of choosing an excellent, well-qualified attorney.

A DUI conviction does not end with the end of your probation and drunk driving classes, it will affect many areas of your life or for at least the next 7 years or so. In this article, we will examine each area far beyond your driving privileges that will be affected by one night of drinking.

Driving Privileges
The most obvious is your driving privileges, in most cases you will lose your license for a set amount of time, this time frame will very from state to state. If you continue to get DUI convictions it will eventually lead to a permanent loss of your driving privileges.

Financial Burden
The cost of a DUI can be phenomenal, the fines, the court costs, the price of a good attorney if you chose to hire one can be devastating to the most financially stable person. Average cost for the attorney alone will run you about $1000, this is for a simple case. Add in court costs and fines, you have a healthy sum to pay out. This may lead into you putting off other household bills and expenses, putting you in financial turmoil at home.

Car Insurance
A DUI will add points to your driver’s license, as points are added your insurance rates will automatically go up.

Employment
In many cases, a DUI conviction will affect your employment opportunities, employers will be faced with a decision that they often times don’t like to make, many employers don’t want their employees names in the paper associated with this kind of behavior, they may suspend or give you warning that you may lose your employment if this behavior continues. Some will offer rehabilitation to the employee, where others will not tolerate the public embarrassment and will terminate employment immediately.

If you are seeking employment and have DUI conviction on your record, it will limit your opportunity. You will now be considered an insurance risk and if the job involves any type of driving activity you probably will not be considered.
If you have a commercial driver’s license, these license are immediately revoked, no matter how long you have had them, see your state law on the effects that you will be facing.

Family
Many marriages have been dissolved because of one’s drinking problems. A DUI is often the straw that breaks the camels back so to speak. A spouse will often feel that the problem is too much to deal with and you will be on the losing end of the divorce. After all, all they need to do is pull you record and see what you are all about.

Public Labeling
Your criminal record is now public record in many states these days it is a simple matter of pulling up a website and there it is, usually about 7 pages from beginning to end, the whole ordeal for the world to see. Your friends, neighbors, co workers, bosses or anyone else who cares to poke their nose in your business can check you out. It is simply a click away.

Bottom Line
You work hard everyday, you have worked very hard to establish a reputation as a person with a good work ethic, you show up and get the job done, you excel in your field, you are a good family person, wonderful provider, overall good person, but a DUI can cast a dark shadow over all of this. Take a peak at public records, look at your local paper and see the convictions out there for all to see. Then go online and check out the public records. See how detailed a criminal record can get.
A DUI affects your entire life, think before you drink!

To watch the news these days, you would think that DUI’s among celebrities was in vogue. Don’t get me wrong, as long as there have been celebrities in society, there have been brushes with the law and/or drunk driving; it’s just that in today’s YouTube world of instant information, its getting harder and harder to keep these types of indiscretions from becoming headline news.

In fact so en vogue is this latest rash of DUI’s, that one could easily compile a list of recent transgressors almost exclusively out of Hollywood A-listers, leaving lesser known celebrities to find more exotic ways of getting their names into the tabloid. Here then is a list of some of the better known celebrities with DUI convictions over the past two years.

Mel Gibson: 
Known as much for his ability to party as for his magnificent movies, Mel Gibson has more than one DUI to his credit, his latest arrest coming in late July of 2006, when he was stopped for speeding and found to have an open container in his vehicle. To compound the problem, Gibson made anti-Semitic remarks during his arrest, an added flair that provided the press with more than run of the mill fodder, and which left the Aussie star serving three years probation. An admitted abuser of alcohol who at times suffers from bouts of depression, Gibson’s brilliance may always be tempered with the occasional brush with the law.

Lindsey Lohan: 
Lindsay Lohan, Hollywood’s reining bad girl, attempted to correct a sliding career this year by posing nude in a magazine. It is the kind of flawed thinking often gets this ultimate party girl in trouble. Of late, this former Disney actress could pass as the proverbial poster girl for DUI’s, having the unique distinction of being busted twice for DUI within a two month period, picking up the charges in May and July of 2007. Compounding the problem, Lohan was also found possessing cocaine during each incident. Perhaps recent stays in rehab will help change the current course of this perennial bad girl.

Paris Hilton: 
A Hollywood A-lister with dubious merit, Hilton was arrested in 2006 for driving under the influence. She followed up that performance by adding charges of reckless driving, and driving with a suspended license latter on. The compilation of charges landed Hilton in jail, though she never came close to serving even half of her sentence, as the L.A. County Sheriff reassigned the Hilton to home confinement. Still, to be fair, Paris Hilton’s booking photograph is among the better ones; a dubious honor for a dubious celebrity.

Nicole Richie: 
Not to be outdone by her partner in crime (Paris Hilton), Nicole Richie’s own DUI, ended with the star of “The Simple Life,” serving 82 minutes of a 4 day jail term in 2007. This was not Nicole’s sole brush with the law, as she had previously been charged with possession of heroine and driving with a suspended license. For what it’s worth, Richie’s booking photo was also not up to the standard set by the dubious Miss Hilton.

Bill Murray: 
Bill Murray is a celebrity that made his mark on this list in his own unique fashion; the man who entertained us with his wonderful impromptu antics in Stripes, Candy Shack and Ghostbusters, is also the man who received a DUI for driving a golf cart through the streets of Stockholm Sweden. It was a story that the Hollywood funnyman later recounted in an interview on “Late Night with David Letterman,” much to the amusement of his fans.

Kiefer Sutherland: 
Add Kiefer Sutherland’s name to the growing list of celebrities with DUI conviction who have done some jail time over the last two years. Sutherland’s second DUI in three years landed the star of 24 in jail for a whopping 48 days in late 2007. Along with the time he served, Kiefer had to pay a $25,000 fine. If nothing else, Sutherland’s bad boy image is still in tact.