subject: Alcohol Abuse, Alcoholics Anonymous And Michigan Drivers License Restoration [print this page] If you are facing a hearing to restore your Michigan drivers license after an OWI or DUI charge, it is imperative that you understand the procedure and what you must prove to your hearing officer.
Before your hearing, a licensed substance abuse counselor will evaluate you and determine if you are still using alcohol or have an alcohol dependence. Your evidence is usually submitted before the hearing. Then, you will be required to testify, and in certain cases, witnesses will also be called to testify. Your lawyer must show that you no longer have an alcohol problem. Driving privileges will not be restored to you if your attorney cannot prove this.
There are a few steps you can take to better your chances of reinstating your license.
First, find a good attorney who specializes in Michigan drivers license restoration. Michigan drivers license appeal lawyers can help advise you on the steps necessary to convince a hearing officer that it will be safe to restore your drivers license.
When seeking a Michigan drivers license appeal lawyer, make sure he or she understands the important role that Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can play in Michigan license reinstatement. Hearing officers place great value in the Alcoholics Anonymous program, so if you can demonstrate that you have gone through the program and continue to work with your sponsor, your chances of regaining your license are much greater. Your hearing officer must believe, without a doubt, that you have controlled your drinking issue and it will never be a problem again.
AAs 12-step program has been successful around the world in helping people overcome problems with alcohol dependency, and in certain cases, proven AA attendance and commitment will help you restore your driving privileges. However, in other cases, Alcoholics Anonymous attendance may be less important if alcohol abusive is your diagnosis. An alcohol abuse diagnosis is not as medically significant as a diagnosis of alcoholism. An alcoholic is more likely to relapse. Therefore, a support group like AA is arguably not as necessary to maintain ongoing sobriety for a person diagnosed as abusive.
If you do decide to seek help from AA, remember that full participation involves work with your sponsor and regular attendance. It is a big commitment, and hearing officers have been trained to distinguish between people who are just attending the AA meetings to restore their drivers licenses, and those who are fully committed to recovery.
Your particular history and case details will help you and your drivers license restoration attorney decide if participation in an AA program is necessary. Michigan driver license restoration is sometimes a long process, but the freedom that a license provides is worth the effort.
