How Long Does A DUI Stay On My Record?

Once you get convicted of a DUI, it stays on your driving record for 15 years. Because a DUI stays on your record for so long, it can complicate matters if you get charged with other crimes later. It can also affect you in your personal and professional lives. This is why you should do everything that you can to beat this charge in the first place. A Queens DUI lawyer from our firm will do their best to help you with that.

What Can Happen If I Have a DUI On My Record?

Having a DUI conviction on your record can affect you in a few ways. Obviously, this conviction will give you a criminal record. That can affect how you are charged if you are accused of crimes in the future and how you will be punished for them.

As an example, let’s look at the difference between a first-time DUI offense and a second-time conviction. A first-time charge could result in a year of jail time, a license revocation lasting up to six months, and a fine of up to $1,000. Getting convicted of a second DUI carries harsher penalties, like up to four years in jail, a license revocation lasting up to a year, and a fine of up to $5,000.

This conviction can also affect you professionally. If you work in a field where driving or operating heavy machinery is a necessity, an employer may not trust you as much as another candidate with a clean driving record.

A DUI can also affect your career if you have a professional license. Depending on the field you work in and the rules of the entity that awards licenses, you could end up under investigation.

Can I Clear My Record?

In some cases, people can clear a crime off of their record after living as an upstanding citizen and avoiding other criminal charges for a while. A DUI is not a crime that can be wiped away though. You may be able to seal the records after 10 years, but that is not always an option for everyone.

How Do I Beat a DUI Charge?

There are a few approaches that we can take to DUI cases like yours. We can defend you by:

• Questioning the breathalyzer test
• Arguing that you were stopped without legal cause
• Arguing that the police did not follow the rules about field sobriety or breathalyzer tests
• Showing that a medical condition accounts for your performance during sobriety tests

It is easier to form a defensive strategy now than it is to deal with the consequences of having a DUI on your record.

Talk to a Criminal Defense Attorney

So if you are facing a DUI charge, you need to take it seriously. A conviction can follow you for years, but an experienced defense attorney from our firm will do their best to help you fight back. Contact Vasiliou Law and schedule your consultation today.