Are DUI Charges Public Information?
So you’re applying for a job, and you believe you have a good chance of getting hired based on your qualifications as clearly stated in your resume. All you’re waiting for is an invitation to an interview, and you will surely land the job. But you have been waiting for weeks, and still no call. You follow up, and the person on the other end of the line simply tells you the vacancy has been filled. Now you’re left wondering why you’ve been passed up for that position. Then you remember you have convicted of a DUI a couple of years ago. That could be the reason they never called.
DUI charges are public record
If you have no idea how the company you’re applying to learned about your DUI conviction, you should know that criminal charges always become a matter of public record. A DUI charge is a criminal charge that you need a DUI defense attorney for, and everything that transpired from your arrest to your conviction becomes public information. Chances are, the staff of that company did a little background check and found out that you have a criminal record, a big no-no for many employers.
The problem with DUI arrests
Many people don’t think that a DUI is such a big deal, but it could potentially ruin your life. While the fines and penalties that come with a DUI conviction are less severe compared to other criminal offenses, its consequences are just as far-reaching. Aside from paying fines and serving prison time, you could also lose your license to drive. It could also hurt your future employment chances because few or no employers would knowingly hire a convicted drunk driver.
The thing is, you don’t even have to be convicted of a DUI for your case to become public record. One simple DUI arrest could make it into the public record. The charges could have been dropped or never actually filed, but the arrest could still become public knowledge. It may seem unfair (and it is), but that is how things work, and you just have to deal with it.
How to stay out of the public record for DUI’s
The most obvious thing to do to avoid having a criminal record for DUI is not to drink and drive in the first place. The only reason police would stop you is if you show signs that you are driving drunk. Field sobriety tests could then seal the deal, you’ll be arrested for a DUI, and that will make it into the public record, regardless of whether or not you’re convicted.
If you did get arrested for a DUI, but the charges were dropped or never filed in the first place, you can have your arrest record expunged. To do this, you have to access your arrest record. You can ask the local police for assistance on this. You can also ask for help from privately operated sites that aggregate police and court records that are a matter of public record. If you want to know more about laws concerning arrest records, you can always consult an experienced attorney to assess your situation.
