fired for drinking on job + trespass & disorderly conduct charges

[Lloyd Christmas]

I made a stupid mistake recently and was fired from my job for drinking. I didn't really cause a disturbance or anything. My boss just noticed my speech was a little slurred, and called the cops to prevent me from driving home.

Now I'm facing trespass and disorderly conduct charges, which may not sound bad. But according to the court document, it carries a max penalty of 1 year in jail + a $5000 fine. I absolutely want to avoid any kind of penalty that resembles that.

A couple more details: I have one misdemeanor conviction, a DUI that was reduced to negligent driving in 2007. (I was below the legal limit). I worked at this place for 2 years and was a well respected employee, until this incident.

I plead not guilty under the advice of a public defender, and now I'm in the process of hiring a lawyer. They all charge around $1000 (would it be worth it??)

Would I gain anything from changing to a guilty plea?

Despite the DUI & this incident, I would like to get the point across in court that I do NOT have a drinking problem and what I did was simply out of character. I rarely drink but whenever I do I seem to get in trouble.

bottom line: I would like to avoid any kind of jail time, community service or AA. I just want to pay a fine & move on. I have already learned my lesson. So what can I do?

Any advice or input here would be appreciated.

[cyjeff]

How can I put this simply?

Anyone that follows up a DUI with being arrested for drinking at work has a HUGE drinking problem.

Even if.

I would go ahead and start attending daily AA classes now. You will be taking them anyway as part of any sentence.

You need to realize that you have had your last drink. You are getting dangerously close to never again owning a car that you don't have to blow into a tube to start.

And yes, your ex boss can tell any reference that you were fired for drinking on the job, had to be stopped from driving home and called such a ruckus that they had to have you arrested and escorted from the property.

Because that is what happened, didn't it?

Sell everything you own to minimize the damage by hiring the best legal counsel you can find. I am telling you that if you know where Johnny Cochran is buried, you need to dig him up and bring him back to life.