California allows DUI convictions to be expunged from your record. There are however certain procedures to go about doing this. A DUI is able to be expunged if you’ve successfully completed all of your probation. If you enter a plea of “guilty” or you’re found guilty at trial, probation will last for about 4 to 5 years. To also have a DUI expunged from your record, you can’t be currently charged or on probation for any other offenses or reasons. You’re not eligible to have a DUI expunged from your record if you went to a state prison for the DUI. If you served jail time or did not serve any jail time you are eligible to have your DUI conviction expunged.
The DUI conviction will not just get expunged all on its own. You have to petition it to be expunged by the court system. In the state of California, this takes several steps. You first must obtain your court file from the record keeper of the court where your case was held. After, you will need to fill out a petition for expungement and mail it to the office of the prosecutor that handled your case. It is up to the judge’s decision to grant the expungement or not. If your petition is successful your plea of guilty or no contest will be replaced with a dismissal of the case instead of not guilty plea. You don’t need to disclose that you were convicted of a crime on certain job applications. The process of expungement can get very complicated. It is very important that you fill out all of the forms correctly and send them to their appropriate authorities and destinations. To ensure that you do everything the right way, contact a El Cajon DUI lawyer to help with the process.