Can You Expunge a DUI from Your Record?

Driving under the influence of alcohol is a criminal offense that can cause serious and frustrating consequences to your future. Commonly known as DUI, this offense takes place when your blood alcohol content is over the legal limit, which is 0.08 percent in most states. Your penalties can end up being worse than usual if you had a very high BAC percentage when you were pulled over.

This percentage is easy enough to reach, and what you thought was a night of harmless fun can very well turn into a disaster if you decide to get behind the wheel after drinking too much. Hurting someone is a possibility and one that will result in a felony. A felony is the most serious type of crime you can commit, and removing it from your record is almost impossible. 

Having a DUI on your record can make your life very difficult, as you need to disclose what happened on job applications, which can quickly make the process of getting back to work very difficult and irritating.

Consequences won’t stop at job searching, as losing your license and finding yourself with higher insurance costs is not unheard of. It’s possible to get a DUI off your record, but it depends on a multitude of factors. It’s still your best bet if you want to live normally in the future, so trying to understand how this process works should be your first step. 

Clear Your Criminal Record

Many states provide different ways of cleaning up your record after a conviction. Obtaining an expungement, which is the process that will allow you to have a clean record, will usually involve filing an application and appearing in court, where a judge will decide if this entire process is possible for you. Once this is done, you’ll be able to send applications without having to show a criminal conviction. It will be like it never happened and you never got into trouble. 

If this was your first offense and you didn’t hurt anyone, you’re likely eligible for DUI expungement. Probation is an important factor because if you were sent directly to state prison after sentencing, it’s highly improbable that a judge will consider your request. If you have violated the terms of your probation at any time, even once, there’s also a high chance that your conviction is going to stay on your record indefinitely. 

Is This a Long Process?

As with many legal issues, it’s normal that this is one of the first questions someone is going to ask. We all see lawsuits and legal issues as tiring and long events where time and money just get wasted, but that’s far from the truth. This situation changes from state to state, as some areas will have a predetermined waiting period for expungement, while others allow you to apply as soon as you have completed probation. 

Why You Need a Lawyer

Every legal issue will be dealt with in a much more effective way when you hire a lawyer. Trying to clear your record by yourself is going to end badly, just like trying to defend yourself when facing a DUI is a bad idea. The court has all the power necessary to deny your expungement, and when things take a turn for the worse, you’ll be left with a stain on your record and no answers. 

A lawyer will instead carefully examine your conviction and will help when sending your application for a clear record. He also possesses all the tools necessary to prove in court that allowing you to get your life back on track will be in the interest of justice. An experienced professional that knows how to deal with the complex legal process behind DUI expungement will make a world of difference, so hiring one will be a smart move that will turn your life back to normal as quickly as possible. Do not play with your future earnings and your job applications; instead, hire a lawyer so you can forget about this as quickly as possible.

source https://nrinews24x7.com/can-you-expunge-a-dui-from-your-record/

December 13, 2021