A DUI/DWI carries higher consequences than any other class A misdemeanor, and it doesn't take much to get one, even if you keep track of how much you are drinking. If you have a professional license at stake like I do (and even if you don't), then life as you know it is over. No matter who you are, you will still be treated like a dangerous criminal upon arrest, and you risk losing everything - driver's license, professional license, and livelihood. On top of that, you will be branded with a criminal record that will haunt you for life. What is the difference between a DUI and other Class A misdemeanors?In many cases such as a burglary, the lawyer can make a request to have the charges of the defendant dropped or the sentence reduced to a less severe one. Other factors the court will take into consideration are the defendant's intentions, witness testimony, and other avenues that support the defendant's overall good character.With a DUI/DWI, the punishment does not always fit the crime or the circumstance and is not on a sliding scale. When defending a DUI/DWI your intention, the circumstances of the stop, your character or suffering long-term damage from being handcuffed too tightly are not factors that can be taken into consideration.As someone of good moral character and someone who puts others ahead of myself, I always try to do the right thing. Usually, I am the designated driver or a cab taker. On that one fateful night, I thought I was within the means of the law, but navigating these choppy waters has been eye-opening, to say the least. I knew I had to write The Scarlet Letters: DUI/DWI so that I could share what this harrowing journey is truly like - from the nightmare of the arrest process and spending time in jail to spending countless hours and tens of thousands of dollars on a quest to pick up the pieces. Will anything of my previous life still be there, or ever be the same when this is over? My intent is for you to know the truth as it happened to me, in order to prevent this from happening to you or anyone you know and love.