If you face DUI charges, a Connecticut court can recommend you apply for the Pretrial Impaired Driving Intervention Program or IDIP. If you complete the program successfully, this solution could lead to a dismissal of the charges and keeping your criminal record clean. This program can apply to DUI due to alcohol or substance use. Your criminal defense attorney can assess whether a court may find you eligible for IDIP.
IDIP Application Process
After filling out the form and paying the $250 application fee, you must submit your IDIP application to the Clerk of Court and send a copy to the prosecution attorney. If the Superior Court approves your application, you must take part in the 12-session alcohol education component or the 15-session one for substance use.
Once the Court Support Services Division (CSSD) tells you to go through the program, you have 90 days to start it. You must complete all mandatory components. Your lawyer can help you review other requirements such as which General Statutes not to violate during the duration of the program.
IDIP expenses can include:
- $400 for the alcohol education component
- $100 for the substance use treatment component
- Cost of services
If you cannot afford the expenses associated with the application fees, the program fees, or the costs of services, you can file an Affidavit of Indigency. The court will review it and decide whether to approve it.
The CSSD also requires you to notify by registered or certified mail any individual who sustained a significant physical injury because of your DUI charges.
After completing the initial program, the CSSD may require you to take additional components according to your results and situation.
What Prevents Someone from Being Eligible for the IDIP?
You are not eligible for the IDIP if you:
- Were previously placed in either the Pretrial Alcohol Education or the Pretrial Impaired Driving Intervention Program under certain circumstances within 10 years of application
- Have been convicted of or are currently charged with a violation of some General Statutes
- Have been convicted of a violation of specific statutes of similar offenses in another state
- Were driving a commercial motor vehicle at the time of the violation
- Held a commercial driver’s license or commercial driver’s instruction permit at the time of the violation
If your charges caused serious physical harm to someone else, you are not eligible for the IDIP either, unless the court determines differently.
What Happens After Completing the Program?
The court summons you for another hearing to review your results after completion of the original program and any additional components the CSSD mandated. The time frame between starting the Pretrial Impaired Driving Intervention Program and this hearing can take a year.
If your results are satisfactory, the judge may dismiss your charges. If the court considers that going through the IDIP did not yield appropriate results, prosecution for your original charges may move forward.
Why You Should Always Hire a Reputable Defense Lawyer
No matter what the circumstances of your DUI charges or arrest are, you should contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. This is especially important if you are already in jail. Your attorney can carefully and efficiently evaluate your situation to find an appropriate angle to start building your defense.
If you are eligible for Connecticut Impaired Driving Intervention Program, they will bring it up during your initial hearing. If you are not eligible but your circumstances offer some leeway for the court to approve your application anyway, a defense attorney who specializes in DUI can make a difference.
If you need a trusted criminal defense attorney who can help with your DUI charges in Hartford or Middletown, contact Carlson & Dumeer, LLC, today at (877) 795-5594 to schedule a consultation!