Getting a DUI is a scary thing with very real consequences. However, if you’re ever faced a DUI charge, then you’re going to want to know how to handle it and what those consequences will look like. That’s where we can help. With this blog, you can educate yourself on how long a DUI stays on your record, what it means to be convicted rather than just charged, what comes with a charge, and what steps you should take after the fact.
DUI On Your Record
The length of time a DUI stays on your record depends on the state the DUI occurred in. However, in Massachusetts, your first DUI will be on your record for life, and consequently, will be reported to employers, insurers, and any other relevant groups.
However, if you are arrested and charged with a DUI, that doesn’t always have to mean that you are guilty of a DUI. With the help of an experienced DUI attorney, it’s possible that you can challenge the charges and end up with a dismissed case or a Not Guilty verdict after the trial.
When it comes to your driving record—which covers everything from moving violations, to license suspensions or revocations, to DUI convictions—a DUI can dramatically affect your eligibility for car insurance, make your regular insurance payments more expensive, or even result in some insurers refusing to offer you insurance at all.
A DUI’s Effect on Your Career
If you’re convicted of a DUI, then having that on your record can also affect your employment. Employers can, and usually do, conduct thorough background checks on potential employees. If you’ve been convicted of a DUI, then that’s something employers will be able to see. As such, having a DUI on your record is more likely to affect people in-between jobs than it is people with steady, pre-existing jobs.
Regardless, if you have a DUI on record and a potential employer asks about it, don’t shy away from it. Address it confidently and answer any of the interviewer’s questions in order to help them relax and feel at ease with the incident. If you weren’t convicted of the DUI, however, then you may not have to worry about this at all, as employers are “are rarely allowed to inquire about arrests that did not end up in judgment of guilt.”
Don’t Wait To Call
Whatever your situation is if you find yourself faced with a drunk driving charge in Massachusetts, then finding the right attorney to represent you in court is crucial and could be the factor that decides whether you’re convicted or not.
