Alcohol Education Courses in Virginia Beach

The personal advantage that attending alcohol education courses after a DUI charge provides people who have been charged with a DUI is that if they do have a problem, it is a step in the right direction to addressing that issue.

For someone who has a court date coming up for a DUI, the advantage is that it is a very strong mitigating factor to present to the court for reducing the DUI to a more manageable offense, or even just to argue for a more lenient sentence.

This is something that will show both the prosecutor and the judge that the person is being proactive in taking matters into their own hands in repairing what has become an issue. It also goes far in demonstrating that they are willing to take steps to be rehabilitated, and are deserving of a second chance in court.

In addition to describing the benefits of having an alcohol education course on someone’s case, a Virginia Beach DUI lawyer can also provide information about what courses and options are available throughout the area.

Types of Alcohol Education Courses in Virginia Beach

There are three main types of alcohol education courses available in Virginia Beach after a Virginia Beach DUI. The first is Alcoholics Anonymous, which consists of anonymous meetings without any kind of official documentation. This one is really easy for people to go to because they are provided in many locations; it is not just one class in one spot.

Someone who decides to go the AA route, they should bring along a notebook and document the date, time, and place of the meeting. This way, when they walk into court, they have a complete list of all the meetings they have voluntarily been attending.

The second is VASAP, which is through the state itself. This is the course that the court imposes as treatment when someone is convicted of a DUI and a course is required. This is not anonymous, and any type of missed appointments or dirty screening is going to be documented and forwarded back to the court.

This type of course is not as easy to get into unless it is court ordered, which means that generally, not many clients attempt to find the VASAP they can apply through.

The third option is private counseling. It is more flexible, and someone taking an alcohol education course can work it around their own schedule without having to worry about set times. This option is also one-on-one, so it is more personalized.

A summary report on everything the person has done since they began attending and their progress up until that point is also provided. It is very elaborate, and a great to show the judge when going to court for a DUI in Virginia Beach.

Approaching an Alcohol Education Course

An individual taking an alcohol education course should take it seriously. Not everybody who gets a DUI is going to have an alcohol problem. Sometimes, people have just made a mistake and is not something that will happen again, but for purposes of court, it is always going to look better it when it was taken seriously and preventative action was taken, rather than not.

DUI charges are very serious, and if a client hires an attorney, it is clear they understand that. Rather than waiting for the court date, the client should be doing everything that they can. Receiving a good evaluation from the counselor is going to help their case tremendously.

An experienced DUI lawyer in Virginia Beach will constantly remind clients to have active participation in alcohol education courses. That way, there will be documented proof in the evaluation that they are taking the course seriously.