A DUI conviction in California, even if it is only a misdemeanor charge, will have serious, immediate consequences on your life. However, even after you’ve paid your debt to society, the effects of your DUI will continue to follow you for years to come. It can impact your ability to get a reasonable quote on your car insurance, your ability to rent a house or apartment, and even can stop you from landing certain types of jobs.
If you’ve been charged with a DUI in Los Angeles, call us at (310)971-9045 before you face the possibility of conviction. Our knowledgeable lawyers may be able to help you reduce the charges your facing or could even have the charges dismissed prior to a trial. If you’ve already been convicted, our lawyers can help you work through the process of expunging your record so that you can resume your life without the lingering cloud of your DUI.
Background Checks
The most common type of background check you’re likely to encounter is one that checks your records based on your social security number. Situations in which your background may be checked with your social security number include:
- Applying to college
- Applying to a new job
- During a periodic review of current employees by your present employer
- When attempting to get a professional license
A misdemeanor DUI charge will show up on this type of background check. Whether this conviction will negatively affect you will depend heavily on the situation and person performing the check.
Fingerprint Background Checks
Less typically, you may have your background checked through the records tied to your fingerprints. This sort of comprehensive background check will be used in situations where security or public safety is a high concern. This includes certain jobs in healthcare, education, or law enforcement.
These background checks will show your misdemeanor DUI charges, as well. However, it will also show any time that you were arrested, even if the arrest did not lead to a criminal conviction.
Disclosure on Job Applications
Unlike a felony, you are not required to disclose a misdemeanor DUI charge on a job application. This may appear like a good option, but this isn’t an effective tactic. As long as your record hasn’t been expunged, your potential employer is likely to discover it during the background check. While some employers may not mind someone having a DUI on their record, they are less likely to be receptive to someone who lied during the interview process.
You may have the most luck by being honest about it when the DUI is brought up. Knowing how to talk about the DUI as a mistake and emphasizing how you’ve grown as a person since the conviction will likely get you farther than lying about it on your application.
Expunging Your Misdemeanor DUI
While not getting a DUI in the first place is preferable, you can have your record cleaned for the purposes of a background check through a process known as expungement. In order to qualify for an expungement, you have to meet the following criteria:
- You must not be facing any additional criminal proceedings at the time of your expungement request
- You have paid all the fines and fees associated with the charge
- You have completed any mandatory alcohol education
- You are out of your probationary period, which is usually between three and five years
If you meet these criteria, you or your DUI lawyer may file the paperwork to have the charge expunged from your record. Once the expungement has been completed, your misdemeanor DUI charge will no longer show up on most background checks. It may still show up on a fingerprint background check but will always be marked as expunged. Employers may face discrimination charges for making hiring or firing decisions based on an expunged misdemeanor DUI charge.
Expunging a misdemeanor charge only affects the criminal aspect of the DUI conviction. The DMV will still have a record of your DUI conviction on its record, even after you’ve had it expunged. Instead, the charge will be removed from your record 10 years from the day of your arrest.
Turn to a DUI Lawyer to Have Your Misdemeanor DUI Charge Removed from Background Checks
Once you’ve paid your fees and served the other parts of your sentence, you should be able to file for an expungement. This very well could be the difference between getting or not getting your dream job or apartment. However, not everyone knows if they qualify for expungement or how to properly file the paperwork.
Call us today at (310)971-9045 to schedule an appointment with one of our DUI lawyers with years of experience handling situations just like yours. Our lawyers will be able to evaluate your case to see what must be done to expunge your record and can represent you if the expungement gets challenged. Even better, your initial consultation with our expert lawyers will come at no cost to you! So, give us a call today to start the process of having your misdemeanor DUI charge removed from most background checks.
