If you were arrested and convicted of Los Angeles DUI, you may worry that there's no way to clean up your record. Fortunately, post-conviction relief may allow you to have your Los Angeles DUI conviction expunged from the record. One such option is expungement. A knowledgeable Los Angeles DUI attorney will thoroughly analyze your case to determine whether expungement may be an option to clear your drunk driving conviction from the record.
Not every Los Angeles DUI conviction can be expunged, but many can. Whether your Los Angeles DUI conviction can be expunged from the record will depend on whether you were charged as an adult or a juvenile, whether you were convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony, whether you were placed on probation, and whether you were sentenced to prison.
If your bid to expunge your Los Angeles DUI conviction is granted by the court, you will be allowed to withdraw your guilty or no contest plea and replace it with a not guilty plea. If you were convicted of Los Angeles DUI by a jury, that judgment will be set aside. Once your expungement is approved, the court will notify the Department of Justice and your conviction will be removed from your criminal record.
You cannot have a criminal conviction expunged if you're currently serving a sentence for another crime, have a pending criminal charge, have a warrant for your arrest, or are still on probation. However, your Los Angeles DUI attorney can ask the court to release you from probation early so that you can enjoy the benefits of post-conviction relief.
A judge must determine that your good conduct and reform justify an early termination of your probation and that the action would serve the interests of justice. Your Los Angeles DUI attorney will request that the court that convicted you modify your probation. In order to have your probation terminated early, all of your fines and restitution must be paid in full.
Expungement of a Los Angeles DUI conviction can benefit you in many ways. For example, your employment opportunities may vastly expand when you no longer have to reveal your criminal conviction. Even in cases where you must reveal your conviction, such as on licensing applications or jobs in the public sector, your criminal record will be updated to show that the conviction has been replaced by a dismissal.
Not every Los Angeles DUI conviction can be expunged, but if post-conviction relief is available to you, the rewards are well worth it. A skilled Los Angeles DUI attorney understands the expungement laws.