Oregon DUII Diversion Program
A great backup plan for a person who’s been arrested and charged with driving while under the influence of intoxicants is the Oregon DUII diversion program. We term this a “backup plan” because your first plan should be to get out of trouble for the DUI or to get the drunk driving charges dismissed. You should only consider the diversion program if you have already discussed your case with an experienced DUI attorney who has reviewed with you all of the related police reports and other evidence in the possession of the prosecutor. Most judges give the above advice about consulting with an experienced criminal defense attorney to anyone charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants who appears in their courtrooms on a first-time DUII offense. The Oregon DUI diversion program might be a good option if your experienced criminal defense attorney believes that the prosecutor has too good of a case against you to challenge in court with a high probability of winning and you are eligible for the drunk driving diversion program.
The Oregon DUII diversion program has very specific legal requirements for eligibility. Diversion is a good program, but it is not a walk in the park. The benefit is that it allows persons who meet the eligibility requirements and perform all of the alcohol and drug treatment and other statutory obligations to have their criminal driving while under the influence of intoxicants cases dismissed over time. One of the downsides of the DUII diversion program in Oregon is that it can be failed. Many people entering into the DUI diversion program find themselves back in court on the prosecutor’s motion to have them revoked from the driving under the influence of intoxicants diversion program, convicted for DUII and sentenced to jail, probation, drug and alcohol counseling, a one-year driver license suspension, and large fines and court costs. Another downside of the Oregon DUII diversion program is that it generally requires a person to have an ignition interlock device installed in any vehicle that he or she drives during the entire year of the program. Driving a vehicle which does not have an ignition interlock device installed is generally a violation of the diversion agreement which can lead to a person being revoked from the program and convicted of a DUII. A third downside of the diversion program is that it is a violation of the DUII diversion agreement for a person to use any alcohol or illegal drugs for the entire year of the diversion program.
However, there are also many upsides to the Oregon DUI diversion program. The main upside is the opportunity for eligible persons who have performed all of the obligations to the court to avoid a DUI conviction and a criminal record. It is best to discuss your DUI charge with an experienced and expert DUI defense attorney to fully understand the nature of the charges against you and the possible legal defenses in your case. But more importantly, if you are eligible for “diversion” a caring and experienced DUI defense attorney will be an invaluable guide throughout the criminal court process and very instrumental in your success in completing the Oregon DUI diversion program and getting your DUI case dismissed. Our attorneys “coach” our clients who have decided to enter into the DUI diversion program on how to most successfully and easily complete the program with as little difficulty and hassle as possible. In our opinion, getting through a DUI charge is all about focusing on being successful!