Do DUI Charges Ever Disappear Get Lessened or Dismissed?

Interviewer: After a DUI case is resolved, how can a person get his or her life back to normal?

Ellis: It depends, obviously, on the results of the case. If we get the person into the ARD program, the most important thing you can do once the charges are dropped is file for expungement of the charges.

A lot of people think, “Oh, the case was dismissed. I do not have a criminal record.” That could not be further from the truth. There is always going to be fingerprints, a mug shot and a court record of it until we go to court and ask for expungement.

Typically, it is granted if you are given the first time offender program. Now if you go to jail, that sticks with you your whole life. It is very difficult to get that off your record. So, there are long reaching effects if you are convicted of this.