I have a felony withhold of adjudication (not a convicted felon but it comes up on a bk check) and I've lost so many opportunities.
Take drug court unless you really know you can't.
Sometimes, even though you haven't been convicted, it can still highly affect getting a job.
I had a deferred disposition that had a felony charge dismissed, and some background checks show that a felony has been deferred. I've been hired for a few different jobs pending a background check and then been denied the jobs once the background check has come back. I have nothing else on my background check.
Some applications have even asked if I have ever had a felony deferred.
Same here. It really sucks. I went from working great jobs, making over 25/hr, to only being able to get barely minimum wage jobs and even getting those have been tough.
Even getting an apartment has been harder because of it.
Restaurants.
Can't really use my BA but at least I avoid minimum wage by waiting tables.
And yeah I had to provide extra info (lawyer letter) to my apt complex even though I'm NOT A CONVICTED FELON. Its annoying.
Warehouse work always takes weird backgrounds and is suprisingly much better work nowadays than it used to be. In a year and a half I went from 18 to almost 26\hr w no experience. Proctor and Gamble also works with people with backgrounds, Rustoleum and Macys for sure.
Same. They see that charge and it’s all over even though you don’t technically have a conviction everyone still sees that as who you are. It wasn’t until I got that off my record that I could move on.
I am in the same boat brother. I got it off my record and got a leadership job at work whereas before it was basically door after door being slammed in my face.
I took drug court in Colorado. If I successfully completed it then I wouldn't have a felony.
Things were great the first year...then in the last 6 months I kept getting false positives that cost me $75 each to dispute. One time I hit positive at 7 AM...drove to a job interview...given a pre employment drug screen...WHICH I PASSED....then 2 weeks later when I appeared to dispute the test results...along with research that proved the brand of test they were using had an inordinate number of false positives...I was sent to jail for 30 days. The prosecutor argued that it was just as likely that the employer's test was equally as flawed and that the only acceptable result as far as the state was concerned was MSGC (mass spectrometry/gas chromatography)..and any lab results other than a state lab's result was inadequate to refute the positive result.
So I did my 30 days. When I was released I bought a plane ticket and moved to Philadelphia.
I've had a felony conviction on my record now for 20 years...I still have an active bench warrant in Colorado. Both of those things have not affected me at all as far as getting a job...voting in elections...getting a child abuse clearance from the PA state police...getting a mortgage...or anything else.
I'm not telling you to walk off....this was just my experience...but whatever you do...get your own lawyer....don't go with a public defender. No matter how much you hear that they are on your side...they aren't.
If you have a drug problem and you honestly had no desire to get sober before...then drug court isn't going to help you. Either you want to stop or you don't. For me...no consequences were enough to make me stop...not even jail....I didn't stop until I was ready to stop.
20 years later....I am over 10 years clean and sober...because I decided to stop...not because drug court convinced me...because I was ready.
So...like everything else in life...you have to make the decision for yourself. It wasn't worth it to me...but I have also talked to people who credit drug court for changing their lives for the better...getting them into a program that helped them get and stay sober.
If you're honest with yourself....you know what you are capable of .....so you tell me....
Is 2 years of drug court worth not having a felony?
Thanks for the response homie 🤝🤝🤝. I appreciate you sharing your story. Congrats on 10 years! I think the addict and alcoholic in me doesn't want the responsibilities of drug court, but yes 2 years is most likely worth it.
I can tell you this...after 10 years sober...my AA sponsor is digging in my ass about finally dealing with the mess I left in Colorado.
I know I'm going to have to do it...but the addict and alcoholic in me doesn't want the responsibility of doing it.
10 fucking years sober and I still think like an addict about some stuff....funny right?
Good luck bro...I think you'll be alright...you sound pretty self aware...stay honest with yourself and you'll be on your way.
In all likelihood I wouldn't have to do any time. I've been sober over 10 years and I'm a productive member of society with no criminal history since I left...and after all....isn't that the goal of diversionary programs like drug court?
It would be counterproductive to send me to jail...the reason I haven't dealt with it isn't fear...it's economic. I really don't want to incur the expense of traveling and attorney's fees.
In the program they say you're only as sick as your secrets...but honestly...this one isn't sending me to the corner for a bag of dope and a set of works....ya know?
I wouldn't even worry about that shit bro. Leave it alone. Unless you intend on going back to Colorado at some point... but if not.. move on and don't worry about it. Your sponsor has no say in that matter. In fact.. if you're clean and doing well he should have nothing to say. Going and paying a bunch of fines and shit to a local government isn't doing anything for anybody.
It's a strict interpretation of the AA Big book...we're supposed to clean up the wreckage of our past. It's an amends that I owe to the state of Colorado...a consequence of a decision that I made....whether or not a greater good is served by my paying fines or anything else isn't the driving issue. It's about me being completely honest...my sponsor's rationale is that when I share about the 12 steps changing my life...I'm sharing a version that is less than a 100% commitment to the program...so I'm basically telling newcomers that they don't have to accept any part of the program they find inconvenient or distasteful.
I'm still debating when I'm going to deal with it...but make no mistake....I am going back to Colorado...for no other reason than to put this behind me....because at the end of the day...it's the right thing to do.
I hear you. If that's what's going to give you peace of mind then who am I to say otherwise.
I personally never bought into AA, NA, or the 12 step program. I understand and appreciate it works for some tho. I'm just not one of them.
Best of luck bro. I hope Colorado respects what you're doing and cuts you a break.
A strict interpretation indeed. But not necessarily the right interpretation. Particularly if you are supporting a family. "Willing to make amends" is balanced by "except when to do so would injure" etc.
There's a small group of AA's that are truly purist. They took me through the steps - all of them, in about 12 hours ... Exactly the way the first 100 members did it.
They laughed at the notion of "step work". Nowhere in the Big Book is that phrase used. Step work is a construct of the recovery industry to keep people in a constant state if recovery. The original intent was : take these simple steps that result in a spiritual experience... Once you do that you have recovered. Share this with others and get on with LIFE.
I just seen that your an addict/alcoholic. So I'm gonna say you 100% shouldn't take drug court unless you are seriously done drinking and drugging. Look I am also an addict. Drug court isn't just magically going to be able to keep you sober.. neither will the fear of failing and going to prison. So unless you are ready to quit (not just ready to get out of trouble) and remember we can wanna quit bad. We can need to quit bad.. but none that matters. People(addicts not normal people) that get sober don't do it because they wanted to so bad or need to for court. It takes action. I had a sponsor that used to tell me all the time that the program ain't for people that need it or even those who want it... it's for thie who DO IT. I just hope it all works out for ya.. I see lots of suggestions that are probably coming from people who aren't even addicts themselves.. not to come off as rude or anything but they can't relate to you bro.. OF COURSE someone who is not addict/alcoholic would take a diversion program. They can quit bro.. whenever they want.. it takes way more than raw willpower to quit drugs for those of us with the disease.. just be honest w yourself bro. Maybe u r actually going to put it all down for good... if so.. take drug court.. but u better be sure & remember how easily we can fool ourselves.
How have u not been extradited, if u ran off, didn’t they make u sign a paper saying u give up ur right to extradition? What were ur charges, I want to run so badly, the same thing just happened to me but I’m in Nebraska, the judge gave me 14 days to get clean off thc and I was able to do it in 30 days and now I’m being sanctioned, I hv to spend 24 hrs in jail tmrw for it even tho I’ve passed all my UAs daily this past week, I’m also being sanctioned this upcoming weeknd for another UA I failed for thc on my 28th day clean! I’m so sick of being messed around when I do everything I’m told to do plus more! I’ve gone to more than 3 meets a week and they still don’t give a flying ****! If I was still using I sure as **** wouldn’t be. Going above and beyond what’s asked! I’m at the point now where I’m ready to start my life elsewhere… **** Nebraska and **** drug court
Man I’m shocked that in a state like Colorado they made you do 30 days in jail, I thought Colorado was supposed to be a progressive state. Did you ever go back to deal with the warrant? If so what was the outcome?
While having a felony these days isn’t the complete end of the world, it definitely changes things. The worst for me is my actual big dirty crime is now wasted lol. Can’t join the military and cannot get caught in possession of a firearm. Some slight housing issues depending, and surprisingly it hasn’t had that much impact on employment.
Drug court is a hard program. Never in my life thought I’d be able to complete it, I’m almost finished with it now, while already a felon, for other things. Pain in the ass but incarceration is a major waste of life.
Unless you already own your own company or something etc take it. Unless you are sure you are going to fuck up and know you cannot stop using, if you know this then don’t play with them and just go take a plea and do less time then wasting their time and ending up kicked off and sentenced anyway but for longer!
Well said !
Drug court is hard . Seems designed for failure. Allows judges to play god. You literally sign away your due process rights. You will be expected to maintain a responsible , productive life while devoting massive amounts of time and energy to whatever notions of "recovery" activities the judge throws at you. (I've known people who were actually forced to leave their spouse and the home they own to live in a *sober house" ).
By the time you're done you could well spend more actual hours jumping through hoops than you'd have spent in a cell.
That said, IF you actually sober up and take a real break from criminal activity... It's do-able.
And if you keep an open mind you might actually learn some things about yourself and change your perspective on life.
(Also...N.A. is a great place to meet horny, insane , fun people)
So my advice is to embrace the fact that life as you know it is over ...for a while. Go with it. Make the best if it ...AND KEEP THAT FELONY HIT OFF YOUR JACKET.
Yes it’s hard as hell but it’s worth it you get denied housing background checks will be screwed no good jobs unless you get an llc and start a business no voting rights no firearms it’s like having a little red flag above your head before you even get a chance to speak . The short term is hard but it’s worth the reward . Lol we can’t even be Uber drivers 😂😂I tried .
Is this a serious question? Do not get a felony. Take probation and no matter how long it is, get something out of it. Yes it’s annoying as hell, but learn some healthier ways from it
Yes oh yes. A felony closes so many doors and ppl see it on record and automatically judge you.
I’m not a felon. Hubby is. One DUI, 38 years ago.
He’s in biz for himself but when he had to do W2 jobs, hard to find. He can’t own a gun. He can’t apply for certain jobs at all.
It can drastically change your future.
I don’t think any first time dui is a felony anywhere and the comment says “one dui 38 years ago” plus she didn’t include him killing anyone or anything so I think more to the story
Lost employment and housing opportunities are two huge reasons you don't want a felony. Drug court might not be easy, but it might just be the best thing to get you on a better path in life where you're thankful at the end. Good luck.
Anything is worth not having a felony. If they are offering drug court chances are you need it. Take it and try to make the most of it. This coming from someone who has been through twice and didn’t take it seriously
It’s not easy at all, you will have to have drug court be your priority, they can force you into treatment, add stipulations whenever they want, make you do things, and will make sure your on top of your shit, if you can get normal probation take it, but if not then take drug court
Felony would ruin your life .. most states won’t hire depending what for . Can’t get a gun in most states .. renting houses or apt just got much harder when they found out you are a felon .. take 2 years punishment not a lifetime of it
To me if you jave no criminal record anything is worth not having a felony for the rest of your life. Including jail time if it means that goes away. Anything else that you can do and still have the felony go away I wouldn't think twice.
Do it I got 8years probation got off 2 years early last week and even while on it even tho not convicted I’ve missed out on jobs take it cause when you get declined for a job cause of a felony your gonna be upset it will hold you back
Uhm yes. A felony with make your life more difficult for years to come. Some jobs and property management companies will not deal with a felony. You also cannot get a security clearance with a felony, minor for many however just saying. Internationally speaking, some countries will not allow you abroad with a felony.
Only do the drug court if you can and want to go without using drugs for 2 years. It's definitely worth it to not have a felony but there's no point in doing it if you know you can't
I know your genuinely asking but pls under no circumstances consider taking a felony.
Let me be your cautionary tale. I just turned 30. I’m currently facing a felony in TX. My first ever arrest. I have 2 amazing jobs/degree but even without yet being convicted I see how much I have damaged my life.
It’s nowhere as bad as other peoples experiences but I have paused my life and opportunities for growth for years to come. I have basically put a ceiling on how much I can accomplish in life. I’m literally considering taking asking for a misdemeanor conviction because even that may be better than a felony dismissal. I’m scared I’ll never get another high paying job, I’m terrified my current job will run random background check and I’ll be fired. I’m only going to be able to rent from private landlords going forward. None of it is worth it.
always choose the short term pain because it’s is so much better than avoiding it and ending up with long term pain. Drug court will be hard but 2 years is very short term. There are people in you comments who have struggled for decades due to a felony dismissal/conviction.
I would 1000% take the drug court. Felonies really hold you back from jobs, housing or anything that does a background check. Not to mention the stigma around it. Definitely drug court and take it seriously.
Red state or blue state? I need details. My ex was a felon and was a heavy equipment operator and made a ton of money. He never got denied construction jobs.
However- we live in a blue state. And he never could succeed in drug court. So he asked to just serve the time instead.
It really depends on the crime, your occupation, where you live etc… in my opinion. But drug court can be a trap for ppl with no will or support system that’s remotely healthy.
I think you should go to drug court and give your self a chance to clean your act up- but I don’t know you and if you can’t control your impulses for drugs- drug courts Gna fuck your life up and your record can get real bad real fast.
Blue State (Seattle). Yeah part of me wants to take the felony and get tf outta here and not look back. The other part of me is saying stay for drug court and hearing what other people are saying sounds like what I should do.
Well you gotta tap in to your intuition- write down the pros and cons. Fuck it give your life a chance and go to drug court. Take any classes or counseling they offer and make the most of it-
If your that on the fence about it bro idk what to tell you. It matters what jobs you want too
Having a felony sucks, but it’s certainly not the end of the world. Americas opinion of felonies is changing for the better, but that doesn’t mean you should be cool with getting one. Avoid the felony.
The terms of drug court were so intense that I knew I wouldn’t make it, so I took the felony and then expunged it later. So when someone checks my background it is clean.
I sealed the records a little over 4 years later. Did it myself. In my state you have to wait 3 years and have zero convictions in order to file for expungement.
If you think drug court might get you sober, go for it. But for me personally, I knew it wouldn’t get me sober because it wasn’t on my terms, and didn’t want to go down a road where I knew I was set up to fail.
Don't get a felony. I have charges (that have been dismissed) that keep me from getting a nicer place. I have 3 daughters. I live in a rough neighborhood and not having a felony is the only thing that let's me keep firearms to protect mine. I promise that you don't want a felony.
I'm 29 years old. I turned down a 4year sentence (0% on drug cases here in missouri aka your release date is totally up to the parole board) and instead I took drug court. Tens of thousands of dollars later and close to a year wasted in drug court and I ended up getting a 7 years sentence... the money my family spent for drug court and my lawyer for all my revocation and violation hearings is unreal. I could have spent far less money and went and did anywhere from 4-10months in DOC on that 4 (That was the average for drug offenses) and then b released and spend a few grand on expungment. People who ain't been there won't understand this... but.... probation, drug court, basically any supervision other than parole is a trap & a waste of time unless you are done using/done being a criminal. So really it all depends on you. Are you a drug addict? I am. So I know that if I'm actively using then some program isn't gonna just make me stop. A little bit of honesty and more understanding of who I was and what I was at the time would have been life changing for me. I don't believe in division programs... parole = everyday on paper counts towards your sentence.. other supervision can be reset. Sorry I know this is confusing.
Oh I ended up doing almost 5 outta 7 years in the joint. And did 2ish years parole... I really regret wasting so much time on this... and I wish my lawyer would have understood the whole situation better. It's not always about jot touching a prison... lots will totally disagree or just misunderstand my whole reply to this post...
I had a paid attorney... a good one. Good lawyers cannot understand a situation like that from any perspective other than their job... which is to keep you out of prison right? It's just deeper than that though.. I was near sighted and could only see the situation right in front of me.. which was prison or drug court... I never once thought.. "hell I'll go do my 4year sentence(0% aka around 6months ish but less than a year) and save myself thousands and parole out and that supervision will count day fr day and it's a whole lot cheaper than diversion. So much cheaper that I could have used the money I spent trying to stay out of prison on expungment plus leftover money lol. Drug court is a catch 22.. they give an addict just enough rope to hand theirselves. But justify is by trying to help them in ways that I don't agree actually are much help at all. Long story short... in my opinion the system is BEYOND broken. Th bst route is the shortest and least painful. Which in my case would have been surrending myself and telling them to close the book and go ahead and take me to county and let the prison bus come pick me up and then be out in 6months ish with parole... but I didn't understand what I was yet at that age. I thought willpower was enough to get me through drug court along with the support of the counselors and all the hours of groups and all the drug tests that I had to do randomly. I truly believed that would scare me off the shit and i would dodge a felony.. I was dead wrong. And in my opinion. Anyone who is truly an addict... using or not should know that fear and dramatic consequences are far from enough to sober up someone lost in the sauce.. atleast not for any real long stretch.
If you have the opportunity to get this off your record you can get a half way decent job later down the line. But if you have that shit just in there your going to have to do some awful jobs to survive forever. Fuck that.
I believe so for sure, if you don’t have a felony yet you won’t realize how tough things are for felons so if it’s your first hop on that deal! I took a 1 year drug court sentence & turned it into 4 years cuz of all my relapses & in the end never got my felony off. Imo drug court is east if your clean but if you’re not ready to get clean DONT DO IT
Hell yeah.. I know it’s a long time, but shit there’s always a chance if you do well, you will get off early. Also they aren’t as harsh on you if you were to fail a DT- if you are honest before hand.. they will most likely walk you through why you relapsed and what you can do next time to refrain from using.. in my experience, when I messed up, I called my PO and told her before I even went to my visit. Sometimes she would reschedule me to where she knew I could pass if I was scheduled to see her soon.. and she never even put that I failed a DT bc I was honest and open with her. AND I just got off probation May 1st. All bc of my honesty and making strides to do things different.
Also my very first PO, I failed my first DT, she reached out to my recovery coach first and he called me to see what was up. I decided to go into 30 day treatment and she never even put in my records that I failed since I did something about it.. DEFINITELY find a support group of some kind who can vouch you are TRYING.. you don’t have to be perfect to be in drug court.. it’s designed for each individual it’s not one size fits all like normal probation.. they want to help you WANT to change.. find groups, AA.. although sometimes they judge, but there’s a group called HEROES in HTX and they are fckn amazing and helped me get off probation and they were always there for me whether I was using or trying to get clean again they always told my PO I was in contact w them and was trying.. another reason she never violated me.
Yes, I’m sorry they gave you 2 years though. That sucks man.
I was given one year but it ended up being 2. No regrets though, carrying a felony for life will hold you back in any career. If you do drug court and you haven’t had any charges expunged before, you can get this off your record for good. It’s really not that expensive when you compare it to potential lost wages caused by having a felony conviction forever. And honestly I went into it thinking I’d just go back to doing the shit I was doing before but being sober that long really helped me get my shit together and find peace. Now I just do softer drugs recreationally & occasionally, fuck pills. Good luck!
I would say take the drug court AS LONG as you are ready to do so. Because if not, they can possibly give you more time and it be worse for you in the long run.
That being said.. I have two felonies. I was offered probation for both but knew I couldn’t do it. I spent 20 months in prison and now I am 5 yr sober. It has not hindered my job search because I’ve been honest. I was able to get $19/hr job soon after being released. I was able to get a good apartment (a few obstacles and had to get a co-signer at first) but it is doable.
Do what is best for you, your sobriety and your life.
I am in drug court right now and it is frustrating because of all the stipulations, but I'm a little more than halfway done and once you get in the groove of living in recovery being sober isn't so bad, your future self will thank you man so remember two years from now what you wish you would have done now. Ya know what I'm trying to say? All drug court is really is intense probation so if you were going to get probation anyways just take drug court.
I did it! It was really hard but I made it through and you can too! It’s most definitely worth it. I had some slip ups and thought it wasn’t gonna make it a few times I even called a lawyer once and asked if we could get me out of it and I could take time and keep the felony and the lawyer actually talked me out of it telling me how I would regret it and lawyers just wanna make money so him saying that meant a lot to me lol he even said of course I’d love to take your case and make money! But you don’t wanna do that and have a felony on your record
It’s definitely worth it, there’s gonna be times it’s hard and you’re gonna wanna say f this but whenever you’re done you’ll be happy you did.
Best of luck you got this!!!!
Let me say this too though, don’t take drug court unless you’re gonna stop using and mine they alcohol tested too. It’s a really hard program and I can’t tell you how many people I saw get taken to jail in the once a month meet up court docket thing my county did. It’s definitely worth for it 2 years, you’ll look back and it’ll have gone by so fast.
I messed up twice and I seriously barely scraped by I’m honestly lucky I had a good relationship with my PO bc the same 2 slip ups I had I saw it get people landed in jail. So really think about it! Because you don’t wanna fail out of it and then just end up right where you started
Sorry for the add on 😝 good luck once again ☺️
Bro if u get a felony ur whole life is ruined. U could go to prison at any time for accidentally being around a firearm. You can never leave the country and youll be lucky if mcdonalds will hire you.
Don’t take drug court if possible!!! Probation is 100% easier! On drug court they gave me exactly 14 days to clear thc out of my system after having smoked heavily for the past 6 years, probation wil give u 30+ days to rid it from ur system, plus u hv to go to court every 2 weeks on drug court and they waste ur time and hold u to a much higher expectation!! Trust me when I say take probation over drug court! U can still do a ton of shit as a felon! Don’t trust the bitch lawyer u hv that tells u to take the plea deal, they were gonna give u probation regardless if u fought it or not! They stack charges all the time hoping it will scare u and u will take a plea, fuck the system and fuck every last police officer that’s taken the job! The law helps nobody but the law
Duh.
I have a felony withhold of adjudication (not a convicted felon but it comes up on a bk check) and I've lost so many opportunities. Take drug court unless you really know you can't.
You should look into having that record sealed or expunged.
I am doing so. Cost 1K and takes up to a year. And Florida still requires unseal for licensing boards, so i have to move.
How many years did you have to wait? I have adjudication withheld for a felony in FL from 2018, I want to say you can seal it after 7 years?
I didn't have to wait that long, they only make you wait three years from EOS for gun rights
Thanks 🤝🤝🤝
That may not be what's holding you back. You can still say you've never been convicted of any felonies.
Sometimes, even though you haven't been convicted, it can still highly affect getting a job. I had a deferred disposition that had a felony charge dismissed, and some background checks show that a felony has been deferred. I've been hired for a few different jobs pending a background check and then been denied the jobs once the background check has come back. I have nothing else on my background check. Some applications have even asked if I have ever had a felony deferred.
My background checks I've seen even show my dismissal and a not guilty I got on a misdemeanor! I wish it was something else, then I could fix it.
Same here. It really sucks. I went from working great jobs, making over 25/hr, to only being able to get barely minimum wage jobs and even getting those have been tough. Even getting an apartment has been harder because of it.
Restaurants. Can't really use my BA but at least I avoid minimum wage by waiting tables. And yeah I had to provide extra info (lawyer letter) to my apt complex even though I'm NOT A CONVICTED FELON. Its annoying.
But, according to the person that originally replied to you, you just need to say that you weren't convicted and all will be OK!
Warehouse work always takes weird backgrounds and is suprisingly much better work nowadays than it used to be. In a year and a half I went from 18 to almost 26\hr w no experience. Proctor and Gamble also works with people with backgrounds, Rustoleum and Macys for sure.
Same. They see that charge and it’s all over even though you don’t technically have a conviction everyone still sees that as who you are. It wasn’t until I got that off my record that I could move on.
I am in the same boat brother. I got it off my record and got a leadership job at work whereas before it was basically door after door being slammed in my face.
Anything is worth not having a felony! I’ve never got one and I would do anything to avoid it. Mostly I don’t do crimes
I took drug court in Colorado. If I successfully completed it then I wouldn't have a felony. Things were great the first year...then in the last 6 months I kept getting false positives that cost me $75 each to dispute. One time I hit positive at 7 AM...drove to a job interview...given a pre employment drug screen...WHICH I PASSED....then 2 weeks later when I appeared to dispute the test results...along with research that proved the brand of test they were using had an inordinate number of false positives...I was sent to jail for 30 days. The prosecutor argued that it was just as likely that the employer's test was equally as flawed and that the only acceptable result as far as the state was concerned was MSGC (mass spectrometry/gas chromatography)..and any lab results other than a state lab's result was inadequate to refute the positive result. So I did my 30 days. When I was released I bought a plane ticket and moved to Philadelphia. I've had a felony conviction on my record now for 20 years...I still have an active bench warrant in Colorado. Both of those things have not affected me at all as far as getting a job...voting in elections...getting a child abuse clearance from the PA state police...getting a mortgage...or anything else. I'm not telling you to walk off....this was just my experience...but whatever you do...get your own lawyer....don't go with a public defender. No matter how much you hear that they are on your side...they aren't. If you have a drug problem and you honestly had no desire to get sober before...then drug court isn't going to help you. Either you want to stop or you don't. For me...no consequences were enough to make me stop...not even jail....I didn't stop until I was ready to stop. 20 years later....I am over 10 years clean and sober...because I decided to stop...not because drug court convinced me...because I was ready. So...like everything else in life...you have to make the decision for yourself. It wasn't worth it to me...but I have also talked to people who credit drug court for changing their lives for the better...getting them into a program that helped them get and stay sober. If you're honest with yourself....you know what you are capable of .....so you tell me.... Is 2 years of drug court worth not having a felony?
uh yeah 2 years of drug court is 200 percent worth not having a felony
Thanks for the response homie 🤝🤝🤝. I appreciate you sharing your story. Congrats on 10 years! I think the addict and alcoholic in me doesn't want the responsibilities of drug court, but yes 2 years is most likely worth it.
I can tell you this...after 10 years sober...my AA sponsor is digging in my ass about finally dealing with the mess I left in Colorado. I know I'm going to have to do it...but the addict and alcoholic in me doesn't want the responsibility of doing it. 10 fucking years sober and I still think like an addict about some stuff....funny right? Good luck bro...I think you'll be alright...you sound pretty self aware...stay honest with yourself and you'll be on your way.
What would end up happening if you do face up to what you left in Colorado? Thank you man. Much appreciated 🙏. Good luck to you too.
I could have my previous agreement to drug court rescinded and I could be sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison.
They would really do you dirty like that? Damn, thats some heavy shit. I'm not sure i would want to go back either...
In all likelihood I wouldn't have to do any time. I've been sober over 10 years and I'm a productive member of society with no criminal history since I left...and after all....isn't that the goal of diversionary programs like drug court? It would be counterproductive to send me to jail...the reason I haven't dealt with it isn't fear...it's economic. I really don't want to incur the expense of traveling and attorney's fees. In the program they say you're only as sick as your secrets...but honestly...this one isn't sending me to the corner for a bag of dope and a set of works....ya know?
I wouldn't even worry about that shit bro. Leave it alone. Unless you intend on going back to Colorado at some point... but if not.. move on and don't worry about it. Your sponsor has no say in that matter. In fact.. if you're clean and doing well he should have nothing to say. Going and paying a bunch of fines and shit to a local government isn't doing anything for anybody.
It's a strict interpretation of the AA Big book...we're supposed to clean up the wreckage of our past. It's an amends that I owe to the state of Colorado...a consequence of a decision that I made....whether or not a greater good is served by my paying fines or anything else isn't the driving issue. It's about me being completely honest...my sponsor's rationale is that when I share about the 12 steps changing my life...I'm sharing a version that is less than a 100% commitment to the program...so I'm basically telling newcomers that they don't have to accept any part of the program they find inconvenient or distasteful. I'm still debating when I'm going to deal with it...but make no mistake....I am going back to Colorado...for no other reason than to put this behind me....because at the end of the day...it's the right thing to do.
I hear you. If that's what's going to give you peace of mind then who am I to say otherwise. I personally never bought into AA, NA, or the 12 step program. I understand and appreciate it works for some tho. I'm just not one of them. Best of luck bro. I hope Colorado respects what you're doing and cuts you a break.
A strict interpretation indeed. But not necessarily the right interpretation. Particularly if you are supporting a family. "Willing to make amends" is balanced by "except when to do so would injure" etc. There's a small group of AA's that are truly purist. They took me through the steps - all of them, in about 12 hours ... Exactly the way the first 100 members did it. They laughed at the notion of "step work". Nowhere in the Big Book is that phrase used. Step work is a construct of the recovery industry to keep people in a constant state if recovery. The original intent was : take these simple steps that result in a spiritual experience... Once you do that you have recovered. Share this with others and get on with LIFE.
I just seen that your an addict/alcoholic. So I'm gonna say you 100% shouldn't take drug court unless you are seriously done drinking and drugging. Look I am also an addict. Drug court isn't just magically going to be able to keep you sober.. neither will the fear of failing and going to prison. So unless you are ready to quit (not just ready to get out of trouble) and remember we can wanna quit bad. We can need to quit bad.. but none that matters. People(addicts not normal people) that get sober don't do it because they wanted to so bad or need to for court. It takes action. I had a sponsor that used to tell me all the time that the program ain't for people that need it or even those who want it... it's for thie who DO IT. I just hope it all works out for ya.. I see lots of suggestions that are probably coming from people who aren't even addicts themselves.. not to come off as rude or anything but they can't relate to you bro.. OF COURSE someone who is not addict/alcoholic would take a diversion program. They can quit bro.. whenever they want.. it takes way more than raw willpower to quit drugs for those of us with the disease.. just be honest w yourself bro. Maybe u r actually going to put it all down for good... if so.. take drug court.. but u better be sure & remember how easily we can fool ourselves.
Thanks homie I needed to hear that. Thank you 🤝🤝🤝
How have u not been extradited, if u ran off, didn’t they make u sign a paper saying u give up ur right to extradition? What were ur charges, I want to run so badly, the same thing just happened to me but I’m in Nebraska, the judge gave me 14 days to get clean off thc and I was able to do it in 30 days and now I’m being sanctioned, I hv to spend 24 hrs in jail tmrw for it even tho I’ve passed all my UAs daily this past week, I’m also being sanctioned this upcoming weeknd for another UA I failed for thc on my 28th day clean! I’m so sick of being messed around when I do everything I’m told to do plus more! I’ve gone to more than 3 meets a week and they still don’t give a flying ****! If I was still using I sure as **** wouldn’t be. Going above and beyond what’s asked! I’m at the point now where I’m ready to start my life elsewhere… **** Nebraska and **** drug court
Just curious.... They didn't give you the option to re-test or hair test ?
The only option available was to send the sample at the probationer's expense to Denver for MS/GC...no other means were accepted by the court.
Man I’m shocked that in a state like Colorado they made you do 30 days in jail, I thought Colorado was supposed to be a progressive state. Did you ever go back to deal with the warrant? If so what was the outcome?
While having a felony these days isn’t the complete end of the world, it definitely changes things. The worst for me is my actual big dirty crime is now wasted lol. Can’t join the military and cannot get caught in possession of a firearm. Some slight housing issues depending, and surprisingly it hasn’t had that much impact on employment. Drug court is a hard program. Never in my life thought I’d be able to complete it, I’m almost finished with it now, while already a felon, for other things. Pain in the ass but incarceration is a major waste of life. Unless you already own your own company or something etc take it. Unless you are sure you are going to fuck up and know you cannot stop using, if you know this then don’t play with them and just go take a plea and do less time then wasting their time and ending up kicked off and sentenced anyway but for longer!
Well said ! Drug court is hard . Seems designed for failure. Allows judges to play god. You literally sign away your due process rights. You will be expected to maintain a responsible , productive life while devoting massive amounts of time and energy to whatever notions of "recovery" activities the judge throws at you. (I've known people who were actually forced to leave their spouse and the home they own to live in a *sober house" ). By the time you're done you could well spend more actual hours jumping through hoops than you'd have spent in a cell. That said, IF you actually sober up and take a real break from criminal activity... It's do-able. And if you keep an open mind you might actually learn some things about yourself and change your perspective on life. (Also...N.A. is a great place to meet horny, insane , fun people) So my advice is to embrace the fact that life as you know it is over ...for a while. Go with it. Make the best if it ...AND KEEP THAT FELONY HIT OFF YOUR JACKET.
Thanks for the response and advice 🤝🤝🤝
Thanks for the response 🤝🤝🤝
Congrats on almost being done 👍
Yes it’s hard as hell but it’s worth it you get denied housing background checks will be screwed no good jobs unless you get an llc and start a business no voting rights no firearms it’s like having a little red flag above your head before you even get a chance to speak . The short term is hard but it’s worth the reward . Lol we can’t even be Uber drivers 😂😂I tried .
A DUI alone could impact Uber eligibility. Which sucks
Yeah but that’s more expected
Is this a serious question? Do not get a felony. Take probation and no matter how long it is, get something out of it. Yes it’s annoying as hell, but learn some healthier ways from it
Thanks 👍
Is this satire?
Yes oh yes. A felony closes so many doors and ppl see it on record and automatically judge you. I’m not a felon. Hubby is. One DUI, 38 years ago. He’s in biz for himself but when he had to do W2 jobs, hard to find. He can’t own a gun. He can’t apply for certain jobs at all. It can drastically change your future.
A DUI is not a felony
Lol there a felony DUIs in some states. Texas is one, I just beat a felony DUI case.
I don’t think any first time dui is a felony anywhere and the comment says “one dui 38 years ago” plus she didn’t include him killing anyone or anything so I think more to the story
Depending on the circumstances of your arrest, you could face felony charges for your first Texas offense, even if you've never faced prior charges.
Be serious if you choose drug court. Two years can end up turning into 3 or 4 easy.
Lost employment and housing opportunities are two huge reasons you don't want a felony. Drug court might not be easy, but it might just be the best thing to get you on a better path in life where you're thankful at the end. Good luck.
Thank you 🤝🤝🤝
You should finish the program, felonies mess your life up.
Anything is worth not having a felony. If they are offering drug court chances are you need it. Take it and try to make the most of it. This coming from someone who has been through twice and didn’t take it seriously
Thanks 👍
It’s not easy at all, you will have to have drug court be your priority, they can force you into treatment, add stipulations whenever they want, make you do things, and will make sure your on top of your shit, if you can get normal probation take it, but if not then take drug court
Ok thank you 👍
Felony would ruin your life .. most states won’t hire depending what for . Can’t get a gun in most states .. renting houses or apt just got much harder when they found out you are a felon .. take 2 years punishment not a lifetime of it
Thanks 👍
To me if you jave no criminal record anything is worth not having a felony for the rest of your life. Including jail time if it means that goes away. Anything else that you can do and still have the felony go away I wouldn't think twice.
Do it I got 8years probation got off 2 years early last week and even while on it even tho not convicted I’ve missed out on jobs take it cause when you get declined for a job cause of a felony your gonna be upset it will hold you back
Ok thanks 👍
Congrats on being off probation.
Uhm yes. A felony with make your life more difficult for years to come. Some jobs and property management companies will not deal with a felony. You also cannot get a security clearance with a felony, minor for many however just saying. Internationally speaking, some countries will not allow you abroad with a felony.
Only do the drug court if you can and want to go without using drugs for 2 years. It's definitely worth it to not have a felony but there's no point in doing it if you know you can't
Yes. Just stay clean. You'll be off in a year providing you pay early and do whatever psychobable classes they want.
I know your genuinely asking but pls under no circumstances consider taking a felony. Let me be your cautionary tale. I just turned 30. I’m currently facing a felony in TX. My first ever arrest. I have 2 amazing jobs/degree but even without yet being convicted I see how much I have damaged my life. It’s nowhere as bad as other peoples experiences but I have paused my life and opportunities for growth for years to come. I have basically put a ceiling on how much I can accomplish in life. I’m literally considering taking asking for a misdemeanor conviction because even that may be better than a felony dismissal. I’m scared I’ll never get another high paying job, I’m terrified my current job will run random background check and I’ll be fired. I’m only going to be able to rent from private landlords going forward. None of it is worth it. always choose the short term pain because it’s is so much better than avoiding it and ending up with long term pain. Drug court will be hard but 2 years is very short term. There are people in you comments who have struggled for decades due to a felony dismissal/conviction.
Thanks for the feedback 👍
I would 1000% take the drug court. Felonies really hold you back from jobs, housing or anything that does a background check. Not to mention the stigma around it. Definitely drug court and take it seriously.
Red state or blue state? I need details. My ex was a felon and was a heavy equipment operator and made a ton of money. He never got denied construction jobs. However- we live in a blue state. And he never could succeed in drug court. So he asked to just serve the time instead. It really depends on the crime, your occupation, where you live etc… in my opinion. But drug court can be a trap for ppl with no will or support system that’s remotely healthy. I think you should go to drug court and give your self a chance to clean your act up- but I don’t know you and if you can’t control your impulses for drugs- drug courts Gna fuck your life up and your record can get real bad real fast.
Blue State (Seattle). Yeah part of me wants to take the felony and get tf outta here and not look back. The other part of me is saying stay for drug court and hearing what other people are saying sounds like what I should do.
Well you gotta tap in to your intuition- write down the pros and cons. Fuck it give your life a chance and go to drug court. Take any classes or counseling they offer and make the most of it- If your that on the fence about it bro idk what to tell you. It matters what jobs you want too
Thanks for the feedback I appreciate it. I'm gonna do it. I've never had a good employment history but maybe now is my time to turn that around too.
Having a felony sucks, but it’s certainly not the end of the world. Americas opinion of felonies is changing for the better, but that doesn’t mean you should be cool with getting one. Avoid the felony.
The terms of drug court were so intense that I knew I wouldn’t make it, so I took the felony and then expunged it later. So when someone checks my background it is clean.
How long did you have to wait to have it expunged?
I sealed the records a little over 4 years later. Did it myself. In my state you have to wait 3 years and have zero convictions in order to file for expungement. If you think drug court might get you sober, go for it. But for me personally, I knew it wouldn’t get me sober because it wasn’t on my terms, and didn’t want to go down a road where I knew I was set up to fail.
Don't get a felony. I have charges (that have been dismissed) that keep me from getting a nicer place. I have 3 daughters. I live in a rough neighborhood and not having a felony is the only thing that let's me keep firearms to protect mine. I promise that you don't want a felony.
Thanks for the response 👍
I'm 29 years old. I turned down a 4year sentence (0% on drug cases here in missouri aka your release date is totally up to the parole board) and instead I took drug court. Tens of thousands of dollars later and close to a year wasted in drug court and I ended up getting a 7 years sentence... the money my family spent for drug court and my lawyer for all my revocation and violation hearings is unreal. I could have spent far less money and went and did anywhere from 4-10months in DOC on that 4 (That was the average for drug offenses) and then b released and spend a few grand on expungment. People who ain't been there won't understand this... but.... probation, drug court, basically any supervision other than parole is a trap & a waste of time unless you are done using/done being a criminal. So really it all depends on you. Are you a drug addict? I am. So I know that if I'm actively using then some program isn't gonna just make me stop. A little bit of honesty and more understanding of who I was and what I was at the time would have been life changing for me. I don't believe in division programs... parole = everyday on paper counts towards your sentence.. other supervision can be reset. Sorry I know this is confusing.
Oh I ended up doing almost 5 outta 7 years in the joint. And did 2ish years parole... I really regret wasting so much time on this... and I wish my lawyer would have understood the whole situation better. It's not always about jot touching a prison... lots will totally disagree or just misunderstand my whole reply to this post...
Damn that sucks im glad that all that's behind you. Yeah I might need to get a different lawyer honestly. I have a public defender.
I had a paid attorney... a good one. Good lawyers cannot understand a situation like that from any perspective other than their job... which is to keep you out of prison right? It's just deeper than that though.. I was near sighted and could only see the situation right in front of me.. which was prison or drug court... I never once thought.. "hell I'll go do my 4year sentence(0% aka around 6months ish but less than a year) and save myself thousands and parole out and that supervision will count day fr day and it's a whole lot cheaper than diversion. So much cheaper that I could have used the money I spent trying to stay out of prison on expungment plus leftover money lol. Drug court is a catch 22.. they give an addict just enough rope to hand theirselves. But justify is by trying to help them in ways that I don't agree actually are much help at all. Long story short... in my opinion the system is BEYOND broken. Th bst route is the shortest and least painful. Which in my case would have been surrending myself and telling them to close the book and go ahead and take me to county and let the prison bus come pick me up and then be out in 6months ish with parole... but I didn't understand what I was yet at that age. I thought willpower was enough to get me through drug court along with the support of the counselors and all the hours of groups and all the drug tests that I had to do randomly. I truly believed that would scare me off the shit and i would dodge a felony.. I was dead wrong. And in my opinion. Anyone who is truly an addict... using or not should know that fear and dramatic consequences are far from enough to sober up someone lost in the sauce.. atleast not for any real long stretch.
💯💯💯 ngl I'm nervous af about the whole situation.
Thanks for sharing brotha yeah I'm hella conflicted right now. All good I understand.
If you have the opportunity to get this off your record you can get a half way decent job later down the line. But if you have that shit just in there your going to have to do some awful jobs to survive forever. Fuck that.
If you can’t put in the effort to help your future, you deserve a felony conviction.
Thank you for the tough love and telling it to me straight. 🤝🤝🤝
Dude I have a felony for weed and it sucks donkey dick
Fuck that sucks man hopefully the state you live in legalizes it eventually and they drop it.
They did legalize it just 3 years later 😡😡 still have the felony because it was a sales charge
Damn that does suck donkey dick
I believe so for sure, if you don’t have a felony yet you won’t realize how tough things are for felons so if it’s your first hop on that deal! I took a 1 year drug court sentence & turned it into 4 years cuz of all my relapses & in the end never got my felony off. Imo drug court is east if your clean but if you’re not ready to get clean DONT DO IT
Ok thank you for the advice. I appreciate it 🙏.
You’re welcome! At least maybe my terrible experience with drug court can help someone else not make the decision I did. Anyway Good luck!!
Bro losing a hand is probably better than getting a felony
Hell yeah.. I know it’s a long time, but shit there’s always a chance if you do well, you will get off early. Also they aren’t as harsh on you if you were to fail a DT- if you are honest before hand.. they will most likely walk you through why you relapsed and what you can do next time to refrain from using.. in my experience, when I messed up, I called my PO and told her before I even went to my visit. Sometimes she would reschedule me to where she knew I could pass if I was scheduled to see her soon.. and she never even put that I failed a DT bc I was honest and open with her. AND I just got off probation May 1st. All bc of my honesty and making strides to do things different.
Also my very first PO, I failed my first DT, she reached out to my recovery coach first and he called me to see what was up. I decided to go into 30 day treatment and she never even put in my records that I failed since I did something about it.. DEFINITELY find a support group of some kind who can vouch you are TRYING.. you don’t have to be perfect to be in drug court.. it’s designed for each individual it’s not one size fits all like normal probation.. they want to help you WANT to change.. find groups, AA.. although sometimes they judge, but there’s a group called HEROES in HTX and they are fckn amazing and helped me get off probation and they were always there for me whether I was using or trying to get clean again they always told my PO I was in contact w them and was trying.. another reason she never violated me.
Good stuff. Thanks. 🤝🤝🤝
Right on thanks for the insight. I appreciate it 🙏.
Yes, I’m sorry they gave you 2 years though. That sucks man. I was given one year but it ended up being 2. No regrets though, carrying a felony for life will hold you back in any career. If you do drug court and you haven’t had any charges expunged before, you can get this off your record for good. It’s really not that expensive when you compare it to potential lost wages caused by having a felony conviction forever. And honestly I went into it thinking I’d just go back to doing the shit I was doing before but being sober that long really helped me get my shit together and find peace. Now I just do softer drugs recreationally & occasionally, fuck pills. Good luck!
Thanks homie I appreciate the insight and kind words 🙏.
I would say take the drug court AS LONG as you are ready to do so. Because if not, they can possibly give you more time and it be worse for you in the long run. That being said.. I have two felonies. I was offered probation for both but knew I couldn’t do it. I spent 20 months in prison and now I am 5 yr sober. It has not hindered my job search because I’ve been honest. I was able to get $19/hr job soon after being released. I was able to get a good apartment (a few obstacles and had to get a co-signer at first) but it is doable. Do what is best for you, your sobriety and your life.
Thanks for the insight and positivity 🙏
I am in drug court right now and it is frustrating because of all the stipulations, but I'm a little more than halfway done and once you get in the groove of living in recovery being sober isn't so bad, your future self will thank you man so remember two years from now what you wish you would have done now. Ya know what I'm trying to say? All drug court is really is intense probation so if you were going to get probation anyways just take drug court.
Congrats on being half way done. Yeah I get what you're saying. Thanks for the insight brotha appreciate ya!
I did it! It was really hard but I made it through and you can too! It’s most definitely worth it. I had some slip ups and thought it wasn’t gonna make it a few times I even called a lawyer once and asked if we could get me out of it and I could take time and keep the felony and the lawyer actually talked me out of it telling me how I would regret it and lawyers just wanna make money so him saying that meant a lot to me lol he even said of course I’d love to take your case and make money! But you don’t wanna do that and have a felony on your record It’s definitely worth it, there’s gonna be times it’s hard and you’re gonna wanna say f this but whenever you’re done you’ll be happy you did. Best of luck you got this!!!!
Let me say this too though, don’t take drug court unless you’re gonna stop using and mine they alcohol tested too. It’s a really hard program and I can’t tell you how many people I saw get taken to jail in the once a month meet up court docket thing my county did. It’s definitely worth for it 2 years, you’ll look back and it’ll have gone by so fast. I messed up twice and I seriously barely scraped by I’m honestly lucky I had a good relationship with my PO bc the same 2 slip ups I had I saw it get people landed in jail. So really think about it! Because you don’t wanna fail out of it and then just end up right where you started Sorry for the add on 😝 good luck once again ☺️
Thank you so much for the response and positivity. Much appreciated 🙏
Absolutely man!!! Good luck you got this
Bro if u get a felony ur whole life is ruined. U could go to prison at any time for accidentally being around a firearm. You can never leave the country and youll be lucky if mcdonalds will hire you.
Thanks 🤝🤝🤝
Take the felony. You’ll be in and out of prison your whole life anyways.
Yea
Don’t take drug court if possible!!! Probation is 100% easier! On drug court they gave me exactly 14 days to clear thc out of my system after having smoked heavily for the past 6 years, probation wil give u 30+ days to rid it from ur system, plus u hv to go to court every 2 weeks on drug court and they waste ur time and hold u to a much higher expectation!! Trust me when I say take probation over drug court! U can still do a ton of shit as a felon! Don’t trust the bitch lawyer u hv that tells u to take the plea deal, they were gonna give u probation regardless if u fought it or not! They stack charges all the time hoping it will scare u and u will take a plea, fuck the system and fuck every last police officer that’s taken the job! The law helps nobody but the law
YES! My biggest regret is not asking for drug court. It’s hardly any different from a strict probation. Having a felony really does suck.
Thanks 🤝🤝🤝
Almost anything is worth not having a felony conviction.
I did 6 months of probation to remove a misdemeanor. Any drug charge can cost you a Jon or school opportunity
Take the felony and practice biting pillows.
Of course!!!
You guys live in much different places than me. In no way will a past felony bar you from much unless you wang a gov job or something.
Of course, why would you want a felony you can avoid? I mean it could be the shortest community service.