Alcohol & Drugs: MIP, MIC, Intoxication MIP charge but they're making me take a DUI class

[jordan18]

Hey, i recently got a mip charge in Statesboro, GA for being caught with a beer in my hand(we had WALKED to a party). when i went to court, the judge said that we should plead the post trial diversion in order for the charge not to be on my record.(he had saved all of the MIP charges for last since it was a college town).In doing so i would submit my self to probation for a period, 20 hoursd community service, and a fine consisting of 250 dollars plus an extra 33 bucks for the probation fees.i agreed and paid.when i met with my probation officer for the second time he said that i also had to go to a DUI/ Defensive Driving school which costs an additional 289 dollars.this makes absolutely no sense to me, seeing that i wasnt driving at all! I think that the court sytem or probation system is just trying to get extra money out of me.Isnt this illegal?please help me!
-Jordan

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Considering that you had the beer in your hand, you may want to think of this as what a plea bargain is. You can always plead guilty and have the charges stick. The DUI class is supposed to "educate" you as to why you shouldn't do what you did again. The cost (which seems quite high, I don't know what you get for $289) is what it costs for you to be educated to change your behavior to conform to law.

It seems that you probably feel that what you were doing wasn't wrong. I don't blame you for feeling that way since it seems "everyone" is committing MIP violations but you have to remember they are violations of law and if you are caught, you will pay for it. Wish I could help you but the consequences seem pretty severe without the plea!