Charged for DUI Forum

[thislamp]

Last night I was charged for a drug DUI. I was not on drugs. I had blood work taken and it will reflect that I was not on drugs, and I have my hearing on March 27th. The charge will definitely be cleared.

But I do currently have that charge! And it has not yet been cleared! I haven't applied to NYU yet and I'm absolutely terrified to put this on there. I know it does not look good. What should I do????????? And do I have to notify the schools I've already applied to that this has happened? Any advice at all is appreciated.

For a little more background:
I was initially pulled over because my headlights were off. The officer was just going to let me know, but when he pulled me over he thought that I appeared, like, spacey basically. My behavior was odd to him (probably because I was so nervous my heart was pounding in my ears), so he gave me a field sobriety test, which he thought I was behaving oddly during (again, I was really nervous, so the balance tests were difficult, and I was genuinely confused that this was happening to me which affected my responses to his questions and tests). He was also extremely concerned that my eyelids were fluttering vigorously (I don't know what to say - I guess have fluttery eyelids). So he took me down to the station where I had a breathalyzer (blew zero) and another field sobriety test, during which my fluttering eyelids convinced them I might be on drugs! So they sent me to get blood work and then let me go because they were frustrated with the slow-moving bureaucracy and didn't want to wait to get my paperwork processed so that I could sleep in jail.

I feel like this story dispels the notion that I was driving under the influence, but it still looks bad!! Like, they were so weirded out by my behavior that they thought I was on drugs?? I'm extremely concerned about attaching this explanation as an addendum.

[Sam_Spade]

common sense should tell you to wait until this is COMPLETELY expunged off your record before applying to any more law schools. if you've already subbed apps into a few schools I would NOT proceed any further until all of this clears itself up. this probably means waiting AT LEAST until the next admission cycle.

Last night I was charged for a drug DUI. I was not on drugs. I had blood work taken and it will reflect that I was not on drugs, and I have my hearing on March 27th. The charge will definitely be cleared.

But I do currently have that charge! And it has not yet been cleared! I haven't applied to NYU yet and I'm absolutely terrified to put this on there. I know it does not look good. What should I do????????? And do I have to notify the schools I've already applied to that this has happened? Any advice at all is appreciated.

For a little more background:
I was initially pulled over because my headlights were off. The officer was just going to let me know, but when he pulled me over he thought that I appeared, like, spacey basically. My behavior was odd to him (probably because I was so nervous my heart was pounding in my ears), so he gave me a field sobriety test, which he thought I was behaving oddly during (again, I was really nervous, so the balance tests were difficult, and I was genuinely confused that this was happening to me which affected my responses to his questions and tests). He was also extremely concerned that my eyelids were fluttering vigorously (I don't know what to say - I guess have fluttery eyelids). So he took me down to the station where I had a breathalyzer (blew zero) and another field sobriety test, during which my fluttering eyelids convinced them I might be on drugs! So they sent me to get blood work and then let me go because they were frustrated with the slow-moving bureaucracy and didn't want to wait to get my paperwork processed so that I could sleep in jail.

I feel like this story dispels the notion that I was driving under the influence, but it still looks bad!! Like, they were so weirded out by my behavior that they thought I was on drugs?? I'm extremely concerned about attaching this explanation as an addendum.

[TheSpanishMain]

If the blood work shows that you weren't on drugs, the charges should be dropped, I would think.

Assuming that's the case, you should be fine. Yeah, you'll have to explain it, but if you're cleared by the lab work I can't imagine it's going to hurt you. If you haven't applied yet, you presumably aren't applying till next cycle anyway, so just relax.

[Nova]

common sense should tell you to wait until this is COMPLETELY expunged off your record before applying to any more law schools. if you've already subbed apps into a few schools I would NOT proceed any further until all of this clears itself up. this probably means waiting AT LEAST until the next admission cycle.

No way.

cops charge innocent people with bullshit all the time.

Dude is innocent and he knows it.

Write the addenda to all the schools that require it (including schools you've applied to. relook at their C&F questions), and stand behind your innocence.

[Tanicius]

common sense should tell you to wait until this is COMPLETELY expunged off your record before applying to any more law schools. if you've already subbed apps into a few schools I would NOT proceed any further until all of this clears itself up. this probably means waiting AT LEAST until the next admission cycle.

No way.

cops charge innocent people with bullshit all the time.

Dude is innocent and he knows it.

Write the addenda to all the schools that require it (including schools you've applied to. relook at their C&F questions), and stand behind your innocence.

Agreed. If you know you're for a fact innocent, then say so in your addendum. Just don't, you know, lie. Because if you lie about any of the details you will be in big trouble.

[Moneytrees]

common sense should tell you to wait until this is COMPLETELY expunged off your record before applying to any more law schools. if you've already subbed apps into a few schools I would NOT proceed any further until all of this clears itself up. this probably means waiting AT LEAST until the next admission cycle.

No way.

cops charge innocent people with bullshit all the time.

Dude is innocent and he knows it.

Write the addenda to all the schools that require it (including schools you've applied to. relook at their C&F questions), and stand behind your innocence.

I completely agree with this.

[North]

common sense should tell you to wait until this is COMPLETELY expunged off your record before applying to any more law schools. if you've already subbed apps into a few schools I would NOT proceed any further until all of this clears itself up. this probably means waiting AT LEAST until the next admission cycle.

This is stupid.

OP, this'll be resolved before you apply next cycle. You're good. Remember that you didn't actually do anything wrong and that you can conclusively prove it. When you write your addendum for your cycle, keep that in mind. Get your confidence back, study for the LSAT, and maybe fix your dopey eyelids.

[Sam_Spade]

you are stupid. you need to get your head checked out.

common sense should tell you to wait until this is COMPLETELY expunged off your record before applying to any more law schools. if you've already subbed apps into a few schools I would NOT proceed any further until all of this clears itself up. this probably means waiting AT LEAST until the next admission cycle.

This is stupid.

OP, this'll be resolved before you apply next cycle. You're good. Remember that you didn't actually do anything wrong and that you can conclusively prove it. When you write your addendum for your cycle, keep that in mind. Get your confidence back, study for the LSAT, and maybe fix your dopey eyelids.

[Sam_Spade]

why would explain or say anything?

let the legal process work its way out and continue with the application as any normal person would.

If the blood work shows that you weren't on drugs, the charges should be dropped, I would think.

Assuming that's the case, you should be fine. Yeah, you'll have to explain it, but if you're cleared by the lab work I can't imagine it's going to hurt you. If you haven't applied yet, you presumably aren't applying till next cycle anyway, so just relax.

[patogordo]

he has to explain it because he probably has to disclose it on his apps even if it gets dismissed, and cases get dismissed for all kinds of reasons, many of which do not require factual innocence.

[jphiggo]

.

[transferror]

I had something similar happen. I was arrested for failing a field sobriety but passed a breathalyzer when they took me to the station. I was charged anyway (for reasons I don't feel like discussing) and had to wait until my initial appearance to get the charge dropped. I wrote addendums and it was no big deal. Law schools don't care as much as anyone thinks. The bigger issue is leaving out this type of info on the app and then getting nipped at C&F for failure to disclose when you applied. Just disclose and keep applying and you'll be fine.

[thislamp]

Thank you so much to everyone for their input. (Most of) the comments made me feel a lot better about this craziness. I would also really love any comments on this character and fitness explanation I'm submitting to a school:

On the evening of March 5, 2014, I was pulled over because my headlights were not turned on. When the police officer pulled me over, he arrested me for a drug DUI. I was not under the influence of any impairment-causing drug. I have not yet received the results of my blood test from the night of my arrest, but they will undoubtedly confirm this statement. My hearing for arraignment will take place on March 27, 2014. I will send [your school] an addendum after my hearing takes place.


Thank you!!!

[transferror]

I'd probably include a very brief explanation of why you were taken in for a "drug DUI." Did you smell like pot? Were you shaking? These are questions I would wonder about if I were admissions. I remember your case was something trivial like eyes fluttering and you were nervous. Don't make it sound like an excuse, just cite it as the for-fact reason you were arrested. Also, don't call it a "drug DUI." That sounds weird.

I would say something like: "The officer administered a field sobriety test and claimed I failed. Additionally, the officer stated that my eye movements were erratic. I explained that I was just nervous, but I was still arrested. At the station, a breathalyzer was administered and confirmed that I had not been drinking alcohol. At this point, the officer requested bloodwork and informed me that the DUI charge would now be based on narcotic use. The results will be in soon and will confirm that I was not driving impaired by alcohol or narcotics."

Sort-of-ish something like that.

[thislamp]

I'd probably include a very brief explanation of why you were taken in for a "drug DUI." Did you smell like pot? Were you shaking? These are questions I would wonder about if I were admissions. I remember your case was something trivial like eyes fluttering and you were nervous. Don't make it sound like an excuse, just cite it as the for-fact reason you were arrested. Also, don't call it a "drug DUI." That sounds weird.

I would say something like: "The officer administered a field sobriety test and claimed I failed. Additionally, the officer stated that my eye movements were erratic. I explained that I was just nervous, but I was still arrested. At the station, a breathalyzer was administered and confirmed that I had not been drinking alcohol. At this point, the officer requested bloodwork and informed me that the DUI charge would now be based on narcotic use. The results will be in soon and will confirm that I was not driving impaired by alcohol or narcotics."

Sort-of-ish something like that.

Thank you this was totally helpful
You were definitely right - explaining why the officer believed I was under the influence was the way to go.

[Pneumonia]

common sense should tell you to wait until this is COMPLETELY expunged off your record before applying to any more law schools. if you've already subbed apps into a few schools I would NOT proceed any further until all of this clears itself up. this probably means waiting AT LEAST until the next admission cycle.

this is clearly uninformed

[Cellar-door]

So in the title you say you were charged. Do you mean charged, or arrested, or merely detained? It makes a difference.

[HanShotFirst]

why would explain or say anything?

let the legal process work its way out and continue with the application as any normal person would.

If the blood work shows that you weren't on drugs, the charges should be dropped, I would think.

Assuming that's the case, you should be fine. Yeah, you'll have to explain it, but if you're cleared by the lab work I can't imagine it's going to hurt you. If you haven't applied yet, you presumably aren't applying till next cycle anyway, so just relax.

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