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Don’t forget: DUI expungement is an option

A couple of months ago, we wrote a post about the high financial cost of a driving under the influence conviction. DUI charges carry thousands of dollars in costs, fines and penalties that range from legal penalties, to payments for therapy or classes, and even for the ignition interlock you may have placed on your vehicle. There’s also the likely increase in your insurance payments.

There were two lessons from that post: first and foremost, the financial cost should be enough of a deterrent to make people avoid drinking and driving. However, even if you are still convicted and the financial penalties hurt you, the second lesson is just as important: you have to fight for your life in the aftermath of a DUI.

In the case of a person dealing with post-conviction life because of a DUI, they should know that an expungement is an option for them.

An expungement means that the individual’s criminal record is obscured or hidden from public view. The criminal record still exists of course, but merely to prove that a crime happened in case it needs to be referenced for a future offense. When the record is expunged, the person is no longer haunted by his or her DUI. Their record will no longer exclude them from certain jobs or certain living situations.

DUI expungements can be a bit complex and difficult to obtain, so anyone who has been convicted and is considering an attempt at an expungement should consult an attorney to make sure they are going about the process in the right way.

Source: FindLaw, “DUI Expungement,” Accessed Dec. 3, 2014

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