DWI Deferment and DUI Court Referral Programs in Mississippi

If you have been pulled over and arrested for a drinking and driving offense in Mississippi there are a few things that you can do to help stay out of jail and hopefully, avoid a life-changing DUI conviction.  Depending on the type of charges you have, you may be required to complete a DWI or DUI Court Referral Program in Mississippi. DUI or DWI offenders will have to have a legal review by the District Attorney and also have a clinical assessment by the Drug Court. In Mississippi, the Drug Court participant cannot have any violent felony convictions in the past 10 years, or any pending crime of violence as defined by Mississippi law. The defendant pleads guilty to a non-violent, felony crime and is ordered to participate in the Drug Court Program for at least 2-5 years. If the participant can follow the rigorous program and stay clean and sober, their conviction will be set aside and expunged from the record.

A DUI or DWI conviction in Mississippi is not something to be taken lightly. It can have serious life-altering consequences far-reaching into many areas of your life. We have helped thousands of people over the years avoid significant jail time, fines, and license revocation periods. Getting help for underlying alcohol addiction will help the courts determine if you are taking full responsibility for driving under the influence and breaking the law. Call us today and let us help you with your drinking and driving arrest and help you find an alcohol recovery program. Addiction No More ® can not give legal advice however if you are looking for rehabilitation for addiction we can help you find treatment in your area or anywhere in the country. Give us a call today and we can help. 

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What to do if you have been arrested for drinking and driving

Drinking and driving in Mississippi can be a serious offense and the consequences can have life-changing outcomes. If you have been pulled over, make sure that you know your rights and remain courteous at all times. Being compliant and courteous can have an effect on the outcome of the court’s layout as punishment.

Driving under the influence: Driving under the influence (DUI) Driving while intoxicated (DWI) and operating a motor vehicle under the influence (OUI). These are the common terms used to describe operating a motorized vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In Mississippi, driving while intoxicated is considered a misdemeanor and is subject to the state’s laws regarding driving while drunk.

DWI/DUI diversion rehabs in Mississippi are very familiar with the court-mandated treatment requirements that the courts have imposed for their Court-ordered alcohol rehab centers. Some court-ordered DUI deferment programs will include alcohol evaluations and at the very least, alcohol and drug classes for first-time offenders. This can cost anywhere from $1000-2500 dollars with the fines, not including lawyer fees and bail.

If this is your second offense, getting involved in a treatment program for alcohol abuse will not only help your ongoing DWI-DUI case but benefit you as well. You should always enter into an alcohol treatment program knowing that there is a need for a change before something worse happens. Driving and Drinking can cost you your life or even worse someone else life. Treatment programs in Mississippi for criminal justice clients will work with the court system to handle all the requirements for treatment to be considered time served. Once all the financial consequences are paid by the defendant and community service is completed, the Mississippi district court may terminate the probation period.

Driving under the influence can damage many people’s lives other than yourself. Getting treatment for your alcohol dependency can help you understand that the risks of drinking and driving heavily outweigh the rewards. Sometimes, all it takes is to talk to someone who has had the burden of having someone die due to their alcohol consumption and driving under the influence.
Our counselors are ready to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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DUI First-Offender and Diversion Programs

Completion of the Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program (MASEP) is required, along with proof of insurance for three years. You must attend the MASEP in person. To stop your driving privileges from being suspended, the court can order the driver to obtain the ignition interlock restricted license.

The laws for DWI offenses are different in each state, and they allow for deferment programs in lieu of jail time. Some states, depending on the circumstances, will mandate treatment and community service. Some of these mandates can be handled while in treatment for alcohol abuse. Mississippi has a deferment program for first-time DWI offenders as long as there are no injuries, accidents, or drugs involved. If you have been arrested for your second DWI/DUI in Mississippi, it is highly recommended that you give us a call to find out your options for a deferment program instead of jail time. This will help with the possible consequences that the courts may impose on you. Drinking and driving can have serious outcomes including vehicular homicide, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and other very serious charges. When a minor is involved, there are more serious outcomes that the courts in Mississippi can impose on the offender. If there has been an accident or death due to drinking and driving there will be significant jail time imposed as well as the knowledge that your indulgence cost someone their life.

Consequences of driving drunk in Mississippi

Mississippi has specific drinking and driving laws and penalties for people who have been convicted of a DUI/DWI. There are minimum and maximum fines and penalties that are at the discretion of the judge and prosecuting attorney depending on many different factors and circumstances surrounding the case.

First Offense: If you have been cited and arrested for drinking and driving in the state of Mississippi you will be required to complete a driver’s alcohol safety program and have your license suspended for 30- 90 days. The state of Mississippi can impose 48 hours of imprisonment and fines ranging from $250 up to $1000 for first-time offenders in Mississippi.

Second Offense: 2nd Drinking and driving conviction in Mississippi within 5 years of a previous conviction and you will be court-ordered to pay for and attend a comprehensive evaluation for substance abuse and ordered to follow the recommendations including inpatient treatment for Alcohol Abuse. Fines for a second DUI/DWI in Mississippi can range in cost from $600 up to $1,500 and driving privileges are revoked for a period of 45 days up to one year. Interlock ignition device may be court-ordered by the judge purely at his discretion in Lieu of impound at an additional cost to the offender. The jail term can be from 5 days up to one year for the second DUI in Mississippi.

Third Offense: 3rd conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol in the state within 5 years of a previous conviction will face a term of imprisonment from 1-5 years in a state-run prison facility. The offender’s vehicle can be seized and subject to sale at a public auction. The driving privileges will be revoked for a period of 2 years with a subsequent 3-year period with the interlock ignition installed on the primary vehicle. An alcohol evaluation is mandatory and the individual must follow the recommendations of the state-certified counselor administering the evaluation including long-term alcohol treatment programs. fines to the courts can range from $2,000 up to $5,000.

Find Deferred Prosecution Rehabs Near Me

Please contact us by phone for immediate assistance. This is a necessary step in beginning the recovery process for yourself or for a loved one. Our addiction treatment specialists and staff have over 25 years of experience in helping people find effective and affordable treatment for all addictions. What you tell us is completely confidential. We are HIPAA compliant. We are here to answer your questions and to get you (or a loved one) into treatment today. For immediate intake, call us now.

We can help you locate treatment for addiction in your area or anywhere in the country. To locate AA meetings, group meetings, 12-step programs, inpatient treatment, or outpatient services in your town give us a call. There are many options for drug rehab services in many cities in Mississippi.

1-800-513-5423

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