Alcohol & Drugs: MIP, MIC, Intoxication WA mip, does it matter how drunk you are?

[greygoose]

i was issued an MIP in WA a few days ago, and my court date's coming up on april 7th. a cop came to tell me i was parked in an illegal parking spot when i was passed out in my car and he smelled the alcohol on me right away. i was drunk to the point that i could hardly cooperate. they didnt give me a breathalizer or make me fill out everything i was supposed to because they didnt think i was capable of it in my current state. all i did was sign the ticket. also, i seemed to draw a crowd of officers, 6 cars according to my sister (JUST FOR AN MIP!!). im wondering if these factors are going to hurt me in court. is the judge going to be informed of me puking and being incoherent or will i have only drank half a beer for all he knows? from what i've gathered so far, MIP punishments in WA depend largely on how much the judge likes you, and if he knows about all of this im guessing he wont take too kindly to me.

also, im not positive because i dont remember much of the night, but i think i was driving under the influence to the spot where i ended up getting my MIP, and im guessing that someone called the cops on me because of how i drove into the parking lot. if this is the case will the judge know about this also? and will it matter? (believe me, i know how horribly irresponsible these decisions were, and i regret putting the lives of other ppl in jeopardy because i drank more than i can handle, or at all).

pleaaase help i need to know what to expect before i get ripped apart in court...

 

[ibis]

Link to MIP law

This is a summary of Wash State laws on minors in possession of alcohol.

http://www2.ups.edu/dsa/chws/SA/wastateetohlaw.htm

http://www.atg.wa.gov/teenconsumer/r&r/miplaws.htm

For what you've said you were pretty drunk and in public and you're underage. So clearly violated the law. Yes, the judge will hear the details.

If you want to make a good impression on the judge, dress well in a neat conservative suit with a tie. If you're allowed to say anything, apologize for violating the law and creating a ruckus. Tell him what you've learned from the experience. Be quiet and sincere. The worst thing you could do would be to talk back or be sassy.

Ibis

 

[ibis]

Forgot about the drunk driving

The drunk driving could have killed you or someone else. You may even lose your license to drive. Thats a big deal, and you didn't really talk about it in your post. I think you should consider the danger you posed to other people.

You may want some legal cousel from a lawyer in your state.

 

[greygoose]

ugh

thanks, i realy appreciate the response ibis.
i couldnt remember much so i was just hoping someone had driven my car for me, but im starting to realize thats less and less realistic seeing as how i was parked in the middle of nowhere. and i have some faint memories of seeing the exit where i got off.
thats why i didnt take it so seriously at first, i wasnt sure what happened, and couldnt remember making the decisions i made that night.

but at this point im feeling like i deserve a couple of months in prison...

 

[greygoose]

forgot another question

im getting a lawyer, although now that i realized i was probably driving im going to have to tell my parents that, and they may choose not to pay for the lawyer when they find that out. this is pretty lame b/c i havent drank in months because i didnt want to get into trouble that would prevent me from pursuing a career in criminal justice (kinda ironic right now, huh?). sucks how one night's mistakes can alter your life forever.

anyways i was wondering what EXACTLY the judge gets, does he just get a copy of the police report and that's it? i havent seen the police report but if i get a lawyer im sure ill see it real soon, hopefully the cops didnt know i was driving, if i was.

 

[raskalnikov]

Hmmm

I don't think you should even come close to uttering that you were driving.

As far as getting leniency from the judge, consider going to some alcoholic anonymous meetings. The thing to remember about talking to the judge. Be short and sincere.

IF you get a lawyer that isn't an imbecile, you'll get a police report, and that's what the judge will see. In fact, if you had arraignment or certain time has passed, you can get your hands on it. Unless you really pissed off the cops, they likely won't be in court since it sounds like you'll plead guilty and the only reason for them to be there would be sentencing.

Good luck.