First, you or your client or no one else should declare the woman an alcoholic. That's her call alone because it's a complex physical, emotional and mental disease and its extent and depth of addiction is only known to the person it affects. One can say however with evidence, that she may have a problem with alcohol. It would be best in court to avoid the word alcoholic entirely if possible because of its misuse.
The woman's statement is very poorly informed and tends to bias most people who don't understand alcoholism. I'm sober almost 32 years now but still identify to understanding friends as an alcoholic. The term "recovering alcoholic" is misleading as well since it sounds like someone still taking chemo for cancer. Recovery is simply a life-long dedication to never drinking again, and a dedication to being a much better person living a low-stress life.
If your client only has a brief time sober, he's in fragile territory. Old-timers in AA typically suggest waiting a full year sober before making any major changes in ones life (marriage, career change, distant move, etc.). Many in recovery have an extremely difficult time for years overcoming the urge to pull into a liquor store when under high stress, so we're told to take it easy for quite a while as we get our health and mental/emotional stability back.
From a courts standpoint, they would love it if a defendant could say with absolute certainty that they will never drink again, but that's not possible. It's good that your client has a sponsor and I hope he's making lots of meetings and is making lots of new sober friends. His long-term sobriety is entirely up to him. I sponsored lots of men during my active years and watched a few of them die or go to prison after relapse, yet a few became some of my very best friends for life. However, I also had to divorce lots of the old drinking-days acquaintances!
If your client is like I was in 1990, he must make his sobriety job number 1 in his life for a very long time. If we stay sober, it's amazing how society is helpful and forgiving and things usually turn out OK.
I wish him the very best of luck and hope he can untangle himself from this mess soon. Thank you for trying to help and for sharing this story!
KY.........
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