A two-count DUI bundle at Mesa Municipal Court (DUI Slightest Degree plus DUI Drugs/Metabolite) carried stacked DUI exposure with two permanent DUI convictions on the record. Future First got the alcohol DUI count dismissed, resolved the case to a single DUI Drugs count, avoided the IID, and got jail costs reduced.
At a glance
| Court | Mesa Municipal Court |
| Original charges | DUI Impaired to the Slightest Degree (ARS § 28-1381(A)(1)), Class 1 Misdemeanor; DUI with a Drug Listed in ARS § 13-3401 or its Metabolite (ARS § 28-1381(A)(3)), Class 1 Misdemeanor |
| Presumptive exposure | 10 consecutive days jail under ARS § 28-1381(I) with up to 9 suspendable on counseling, a 12-month judge-ordered ignition interlock device, base fines starting at $1,250 per count plus 84 percent surcharges and assessments totaling over $2,000 per count, MADD Victim Impact Panel, supervised probation up to five years, mandatory alcohol and drug screening and treatment, automatic driver license suspension, significant insurance rate increases, a three-year arrest record sealing wait under ARS § 13-911 measured from IID removal, and two permanent DUI convictions on the record |
| Result | State dismissed the DUI Slightest Degree count; case amended to single Class 1 Misdemeanor DUI Drugs/Metabolite count under ARS § 28-1381(A)(3); 1 day jail with 9 days suspended on counseling; substance abuse screening and counseling pre-completed through Cornerstone; $1,557 fines; judge reduced jail costs to $221; no IID ordered |
| Eligibility for set aside | Upon counseling completion and fine payment under ARS § 13-905, estimated 2026 |
| Eligibility for sealing | Approximately 2028 under ARS § 13-911, three years after punishment completion, with no IID-removal date to wait for |
The stakes
The client faced two Class 1 Misdemeanor DUI counts in Mesa Municipal Court: DUI Slightest Degree under ARS § 28-1381(A)(1) and DUI with a Drug or its Metabolite under ARS § 28-1381(A)(3). Two stacked C1M DUI convictions would have meant 10 consecutive days jail under ARS § 28-1381(I) with up to 9 suspendable on counseling, a 12-month judge-ordered ignition interlock device, base fines starting at $1,250 per count plus 84 percent surcharges and assessments totaling over $2,000 per count, MADD Victim Impact Panel, supervised probation up to five years, mandatory alcohol and drug screening and treatment, automatic driver license suspension, significant insurance rate increases, a three-year arrest record sealing wait under ARS § 13-911 measured from IID removal, and two permanent DUI convictions on the record.
What we did
Future First negotiated the case down from a two-count DUI bundle to a single Class 1 Misdemeanor DUI Drugs/Metabolite count under ARS § 28-1381(A)(3). The DUI Slightest Degree count was dismissed. The client served 1 day jail with 9 days suspended on counseling, completed substance abuse screening and counseling pre-sentencing through Cornerstone, paid $1,557 in fines, the judge reduced jail costs to $221, and no IID was ordered. Set aside under ARS § 13-905 available upon counseling completion and fine payment, estimated 2026. Arrest record sealing under ARS § 13-911 eligible approximately 2028, three years after punishment completion, with no IID-removal date to wait for.
What the client said
My experience was very positive giving the circumstances. My lawyer was very helpful in explaining things as well as making sure to make me still feel human regardless of my charges. i would recommend the business due to the outcome of my trial being very well negotiated. i feel i learned a lot as well from this experience and that it made me the better person i am today.
— Verified Google review
If you’re facing alcohol plus drug DUI charges in Arizona
Pre-completion of substance abuse screening and counseling before sentencing through providers like Cornerstone is a major leverage point on DUI cases. The pre-completed work demonstrates accountability to the prosecutor and removes a future obligation from the sentence structure. When pre-completion is documented, the court can structure the sentence to recognize it rather than ordering it as a forward-looking condition.
Reducing jail costs from a standard $1,000-plus amount down to $221 is a judge-discretion item that defense counsel can secure through a sentencing memorandum documenting financial hardship. Maricopa County jail cost reductions of $700 or more are unusual and require a structured presentation.
Future First Criminal Law has handled alcohol-plus-drug DUI cases across Maricopa County and Arizona. We know how Mesa Municipal Court evaluates count-dismissal plus IID-avoidance plea structures.
Related resources
- Arizona DUI defense — full overview of how we handle every tier of DUI charge
- Set aside and sealing in Arizona — how to clean up your record after a DUI conviction
Call us
Facing alcohol-plus-drug DUI charges in Arizona? Call Future First Criminal Law at 602-932-7890 or request a free consultation. We have handled hundreds of Arizona DUI cases. The earlier we are involved, the more options you have.
Anonymized in line with firm policy. Client name not used. Specific dates approximated to year only. Outcome described reflects this client’s actual results. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results. For more detailed information on Arizona DUI law, visit the Arizona State Legislature website.