How Long Will a DUI Stay on My Record in Indiana?
Whether you were recently charged with driving under the influence, or if you are already convicted of a DUI, you are likely wondering how long you can expect your record to reflect your DUI conviction after you’ve completed your sentence.
Below we discuss the consequences associated with a DUI conviction, how long your conviction will remain on your record, and defensive strategies we might use if you have yet to be convicted of a DUI charge.
Consequences of a DUI
Being convicted of a DUI in Indiana might not seem like a big deal, but in reality, a DUI conviction can seriously impact your life.
You are considered to be driving while under the influence if you are operating a vehicle and your blood alcohol content (BAC) is at 0.08 percent or higher when you breathed into a breathalyzer. This is a Class C misdemeanor if you were driving alone, but it will be increased to a Class A misdemeanor if you endangered the life of another.
Despite the fact that most first-time DUIs are not felony charges, the penalties for a DUI conviction can result in community service, probation, hefty fines, a license suspension or revocation, and possible jail time. Unless you’re prepared to fork over up to $5,000 in fines and deal with a two-to-ten year license suspension, it’s in your best interest to do everything you can to beat a DUI charge.
What’s more, once you’re convicted of a DUI, your conviction will remain on your record for anywhere between five to ten years, depending on how many DUIs you were charged with over time, and whether you endangered someone in the process.
Building a DUI Defensive Strategy
There are a couple of effective defense strategies that are used to beat DUI charges. Often, your lawyer will question the validity of the sobriety test you were given. This could have been a chemical test where your blood, breath, or urine was tested in conjunction with a field sobriety test.
If any of these tests were not administered correctly, or if the results were not interpreted correctly, you could be wrongly convicted.
There is also the question of whether the police officer who pulled you over had the right to pull you over in the first place. If you weren’t speeding, swerving in and out of lanes, or otherwise driving erratically, then law enforcement wouldn’t have probable cause to pull you over, with the exception of DUI checkpoints.
Your attorney will review the details of your case to determine which defensive strategy will yield the most favorable results.
Get Help From an Indiana DUI Lawyer
If you were charged with a DUI and need help fighting a possible conviction, or if you are dealing with the consequences of your DUI and are interested in seeking an expungement or sealing of your record, get help from a highly trained Indiana DUI lawyer at Rowdy G. Williams Law Firm.
Give our office a call at 1-812-232-7400 or fill out the brief contact form we’ve provided at the bottom of this page to schedule your initial case assessment today.
