Louisiana DUI can put a damper on future opportunities

You’d likely be hard-pressed to find someone in Louisiana who hasn’t made a poor choice that he or she later regretted at some point in life. Life is a journey and a learning experience. While we typically hope that our good choices will outweigh the bad, it doesn’t always happen that way and how we react to negative consequences, as well as what types of resources we tap into to help us rebound from a bad situation may be key to rising above our problems and starting afresh in life.

You may undoubtedly find some types of situations more trying than others. For instance, if you’ve gone through divorce, you may consider it one of the most emotionally (and perhaps, legally) challenging experiences in your life to date. Facing DUI charges in this state or elsewhere would also probably rank high on your “difficult life situations” list. In fact, DUI convictions can have far-reaching, long-lasting negative implications. How well you’re able to mitigate your circumstances may largely depend on the type of support system you build.

Worst case scenarios

When you think of facing DUI charges in a Louisiana court, one of your biggest worries would likely be whether or not you’ll go to jail. Time behind bars is a definite possibility in many DUI cases. The following list includes other severe penalties if convicted:

• Even after serving a jail sentence, you may spend your foreseeable future on probation. Any violation of probation may land you right back behind bars.
• Fines for DUI can be quite substantial.
• You risk license suspension or complete revocation of your driver’s license if a police officer arrests you on suspicion of drunk driving and the court hands down a conviction.
• If you get your license back, your insurance payments may skyrocket with a criminal conviction for DUI on your record.

If the court convicts you of intoxicated driving, your personal and professional life may also suffer. Your family might worry that you are suffering from a substance abuse problem. (If you are, there are plenty of local resources available to help you beat addiction.) Your boss may not be very understanding about all the time you must take off work to attend court hearings and meetings associated with your situation.

In fact, some bosses could fire you even before you go to trial. No matter how serious your situation is, you can remain hopeful if you know how to protect your rights and where to seek experienced guidance support.