Having any kind of a criminal record can have long term consequences, a conviction can influence your life long after you have served the sentence, paid the fines or whatever other penalties were imposed at the time. If the crime was DUI in Orange County, you may find that the record is a form of punishment as bad as that imposed by the court, the court imposed punishment eventually goes away, a record does not. Even a crime such as DUI can have a negative impact on your employment opportunities, obtaining a home loan or other form of credit or in some cases, even being approved for an apartment rental.
The consequences:
It is very frustrating for people that have overcome their problem to find many years later that their offense comes back to haunt them. It is as if the penalty is never completed, that there is no end to the length of the sentence. The obvious solution is for the past offender to try and have his or her record expunged. Whether a criminal record can be expunged or not depends on the laws of the state in which the crime was committed and the conviction was handed down. Some states do not allow for any crime to be expunged, others do depending on the crime and its seriousness.
Getting an Expungement:
The first step in getting a DUI in Orange County expunged to check if it is even possible, if it is, then you will become aware of the requirements that you need to present to clear your record. In most cases the decision is based on:
1. Was it your first and last conviction?
2. When were you convicted, how much time has passed?
If your record shows that you have multiple convictions the chances of having the crime expunged from your record are close to zero. In most states there is a minimum time which must pass from the time of the conviction until the time of application for the record to be cleaned. There will be a great deal of time and paperwork involved plus court fees that must be paid as well.
The process can be long, complicated and drawn out but if the DUI conviction that you had years ago is having a negative impact on your current circumstances; then it may be well worth the effort.
