Your Criminal Record

Whether you are convicted of misdemeanor or felony drunk driving, you will have a criminal record. It will affect your ability to get certain jobs that require clean driving records or require driving as part of your employment conditions. In some states, you can apply to have your record expunged of this crime. You can find out the cost and conditions by inquiring at the police facility by which you were arrested.

Expungement of Your Record

Expungement is the process of having the record of your arrest cleared, erased, or sealed. It is also called expunction of your record. The availability of this legal process varies between states and even between counties, as well as the circumstances of the crime. For instance, a felony DUI may not be expunged from your record; these decisions are at the discretion of the court. An attorney can help you through this process.

The Process

Expungement applies to the location in which you were arrested for your crime, so you should contact that police detention facility to request an expungement application if this process is available in that jurisdiction. At that facility, you can find out the cost of applying for expungement and any other information you need to know.

Clearing Your Name

If you are successful, this crime will be sealed from view for anyone who is not in the court or government system and you do not need to put this information on job applications, banking, or similar paperwork. You should disclose it if an officer of the court or a police officer asks you directly, however, as they will have access to these records.

In some legal proceedings, such as during sentencing for any later crimes, an expunged conviction may be considered as proof of a “prior conviction.”