Can You Have Your DUI Expunged?
Getting a DUI has many ill effects. In addition to having posed a danger to others, you may bring a lifetime of trouble on yourself. A DUI is costly personally and socially. Even when you have paid your fine and gotten your driving privileges back, the DUI stays on your record, which can raise your insurance rates and make it more difficult to get a job. In some cases, however, you may be able to get the DUI expunged, or removed, from your record, a course you should consider pursuing.
State Laws
Not all states will allow you to have a DUI expunged. Among those states that do, the requirements differ. However, most of these states have some rules in common. Most states will require that you did not receive any prison or jail time for your offense. In general, you should have received some type of supervision to be eligible for expungement. In addition, you need to have fulfilled all the conditions of your DUI conviction. You also cannot be facing any criminal charges at the time of the expungement request. Basically, you need to have paid your fines, completed any court-ordered provisions, and been a good citizen since the DUI.
Process
Although you can file for expungement on your own, you will have a better chance of success if you hire a DUI attorney like Jack Weatherill Law Offices. As with any legal matter, amateurs tend to run into difficulties. Usually, your attorney will file an application with the court so they can determine if you are eligible for expungement. If they determine that you are, your attorney will then file a petition for expungement. If the court rules in your favor, your DUI record will be removed from the records of the appropriate institutions.
Aftermath
An expungement means you are free from the after-effects of the DUI. It can no longer be held against you in any capacity. As far as the law is concerned, the DUI never happened. In some instances, you may be able to seal the records, which means no one can view them, but the process is not as beneficial for you as an expungement.
If you have a DUI on your record, you face a constant reminder of a bad time in your past. Perhaps this violation is the only black mark on your record. You may not have to carry this burden for life. Seek out the advice of a qualified DUI lawyer and find out if expungement is an option for you. Everyone deserves a fresh start after years of good behavior.
