I'm at my first court appearance right now

[loveandlight05]

I'm here early. I am so ******* nervous, and my attorney said the DA will most likely pursue like every charge possible today. I took the day off work just in case I am a mess. I will update here when I am done.

[weaver71]

I don't know if I told you this already, but my multi felonies were diverted. I started going to AA, as soon as court started. Every time I saw the judge, I submitted my signed list of meetings and got letters of character reference too. Just the effort you show that you are fighting this addiction really shows you are taking this serious and that you realize it was the addiction, even if the DA doesn't. If there is anything about recovery you can prove you are involved in, I would be doing that, it may help you personally too, not just the court situation. Just a tip from a barely non-felon.

[loveandlight05]

Unfortunately, I can't see my counselor until after the holidays. I'm staying home for the rest of the day and not going to work. Honestly, I feel like I will be the worst case of doctor shopping ever. I've been addicted to hydrocodone since I was about 24. I bought them from a lady for maybe 4 years. Then I quit and cut her off. After that, I stayed sober for a year. When I started again, I doctor shopped. They'll probably get me on a million counts, and I will be ******. I stopped several times, and at one point, I got another dealer. The whole thing is awful. Maybe I do deserve to go to prison. IDK anymore. Why my attorney thinks I have even a tiny chance at walking away without a felony is beyond me. Everything I did was driven 100% by my addiction. I feel like dying.

[Merri123]

I'm so sorry this was so rough. But Weaver is right.

Your attorney will do what he can. He prayed with you. Thst is huge. Thst means he cares. You are not just money to him.

This DA sees this all the time. Unfortunately I can imagine they get hardened by it. But it is your first offense. There is no proof of anything else here. She says this is more than addiction. Well what more can it be?  You weren't selling them. And they can't prove you were.  Her job is to go full on hard core prosecution. Make her record look good. Your attorney will handle her. And the judge will hopefully see it was exactly what it was.

You have come so far. Let that do the talking. Is there anyway you can see your counselor today? Call her office and see if she can get you in?  I think it would be  very helpful today.

Chin up. This is only the beginning. It will work out ok. Do you know when your next court date is?

[loveandlight05]

Thank you so much, Weaver, for helping me get my head back in the game. It truly was just my addiction. I never sold. I never wrote my own scripts. I didn't know how to stop using. I tried so many times. I kept telling myself that when I ran out, I'd stop, but I started to panic the day before I ran out and went to get more. I couldn't stop. Even now, without counseling, I still don't think I could have stopped no matter what my legal issues are. Without my psychiatrist, I would still be using, but I probably would have just bought them from someone. But I did stop. That deserves some credit. Maybe not. IDK

[weaver71]

They always throw the book at you, for the first meeting. DA's job is to go for max, your attorney's job is to go for the minimum, so the game of rhetoric begins. The judge is not going to give you the full extent of the law, the courts simply can't afford to house every first time offender. You will have other offers, just keep doing the right thing, it will work out as God will's it.

[loveandlight05]

I'm just bawling.