Driving under the influence (DUI) is a crime in every state, and this crime can be very serious. DUIs can cause significant injuries to the offender and the victims, and they can also cause a significant amount of legal issues. Furthermore, people curious about your personal history may be able to see if you were arrested or convicted of a DUI, as this is generally part of your criminal history record.
Our article gives you more information about DUIs and whether or not these convictions are considered public record, in addition to answering your common questions about DUIs and the public record.
What Is a DUI?
A DUI is the charge given to driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or another substance. States may call DUIs different things, such as DWI (driving while intoxicated) or OWI (operating while impaired), but every state has a law outlining criminal consequences for driving while under the influence.
DUI charges may be more or less severe depending on the circumstances of the DUI, the parties involved, and whether or not the DUI is a repeated offense, but you can be assured that receiving a DUI charge can significantly impact your future and may even prevent you from obtaining certain opportunities in your life.
What Are the Consequences of a DUI?
Driving under the influence can have very serious consequences, not just from a legal standpoint. Not only can a DUI result in jail time, fines, community service, and repeated time in court, but it could also result in life-threatening and critical injuries to yourself and others.
In many cases, receiving a DUI or multiple DUI charges can disqualify you from certain types of jobs, and your future may be impacted when it comes to seeking employment or passing basic background checks.
How Do States Classify DUIs?
States have different laws surrounding DUI offenses, and you could end up with a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on your DUI situation. Oftentimes, first-time DUI offenses carry lesser charges than repeat offenses or offenses that are combined with other crimes, such as speeding through a school zone, driving under the influence with a child in the car, or causing a car crash as a result of driving intoxicated.
If you need to know how your specific state classifies DUIs, you can use this helpful directory to discover more about potential convictions, legal consequences, and fines related to DUIs in your state.
Are DUIs Public Record?
DUI convictions are public record, as a DUI conviction is a criminal conviction. All states make criminal history and records available in order to promote the public’s awareness about those they interact with.
Furthermore, having a DUI charge in the public record can help employers and other individuals make informed decisions about who they are hiring. For example, individuals with DUI charges on their records are generally disqualified from jobs that handle heavy machinery and equipment.
How Do I Find Someone’s DUI Record?
If you want to find someone’s DUI record, you have a few different options. Typically, DUI arrest records are available through county courthouses and even local jail websites; these records might be published in your county, depending on certain disclosure laws and publication availability.
If you don’t feel like wading through government records and websites, you can utilize a public record search tool to find someone’s criminal history; DUI records are almost always on criminal history reports, though they might be considered a part of someone’s traffic history in certain states.
In order to quickly look at someone’s criminal history and DUI record, you can utilize an online criminal history search tool. To use this tool, simply type in someone’s name and location, then run the search. Review the easy-to-read report and figure out whether or not someone has a DUI on their record.
DUI and Public Record FAQs
Dealing with a DUI and the resulting impact of this charge can be overwhelming. Below, we answer the most frequently asked questions about DUIs and the public record to help give you some more insight into this matter.
Will a DUI Arrest Without Conviction Be Visible on Public Record?
A DUI arrest without any kind of conviction or charge may be visible on the public record, but this does depend on your state. While some states have disclosure laws that allow arrests without convictions to appear on your public record, other states have laws in place that require a conviction to be received following the arrest in order for the arrest to be part of the public record.
If you are found not guilty of a DUI after an arrest and this information still appears on your public record, you may be able to petition to get it cleared. You can contact a DUI defense lawyer or the County Recorder’s office in your jurisdiction to find out more about removing DUI arrests without convictions from your public record.
Will a DUI Appear On My Background Check?
A DUI will appear on your background check, as DUIs are part of the public record, and they are part of your criminal history. If you have been arrested and convicted of a DUI, you can expect this to start showing up on your official record after a few weeks, and your criminal information may be available on county jail websites or other court websites.
Occasionally, states make it possible for individuals to review court docket information, so if you have a court case pending for your DUI, this information will be shown to individuals searching for it.
Can I Remove a DUI From My Record?
It may be possible to remove a DUI from your record, though this does depend on your state, the circumstances of your DUI, and your specific conviction. For example, an individual with a first-time DUI conviction who completes all conviction-related requirements and shows a track record of changing their behavior may successfully be able to petition for their DUI charge to be sealed from public record or expunged (meaning removed) altogether.
On the other hand, an individual with a history of criminal convictions regarding alcohol and DUIs may not be eligible to get their DUI sealed or expunged from their record. This is especially true if the DUI was committed along with other crimes that led to the injury or death of another individual, or if the DUI was especially reckless.
How Long Will a DUI Stay On My Record?
DUIs stay on your record for life, and there is no escaping a DUI conviction once it has been handed down. No matter if you move states, complete any jail time, and pay all fines related to your DUI, this offense will follow you.
The only way to remove a DUI from your record is to petition for this conviction to be expunged or sealed, but only certain types of DUIs are eligible for this process.
Understanding the Impact of a DUI
Driving under the influence is a serious crime in any state, and being convicted of a DUI can land you in major trouble, not to mention seriously impact your future. DUIs are public record, and any employer, landlord, or other individual requesting your background check report or simply looking through public records can find this information about you.
If you have been convicted of a DUI in your state, it’s essential that you hire a DUI defense lawyer as soon as possible to minimize the impact of this conviction on your future.
