Wisconsin residents who are charged with a DUI may be concerned for their future, and rightly so. After all, a DUI conviction can negatively impact one's reputation, employment, education, and ability to drive. Those facing allegations of drunk driving have the right to fight the charges in court. If one is nonetheless convicted, he or she may wonder if they have the right to have that conviction expunged.
What is expungement? When a criminal conviction is expunged, it is essentially hidden. Thus, employers, educational institutions, and creditors cannot see that one was convicted. Wisconsin does allow for expungement of certain offenses, particularly if they were committed by juveniles or persons under age 25. The expungement statute states, however, that there can be no expungement of traffic offense information which the department of transportation is obligated to maintain as part of one's driving record.
Because DUI expungement is not possible in Wisconsin, it is even more important to defend against an initial drunk driving charge. To have a chance at avoiding serious penalties, those charged with a crime should leave no stone unturned when crafting their legal defense.
To do so, many find it beneficial to seek out legal assistance. An experienced attorney can discuss the law as it applies to a particular set of circumstances, and may be able to work to discredit initial traffic stops and field sobriety and breathalyzer test results. The law in this area can be difficult, and preserving one's rights, even on appeal, requires raising every issue during one's trial.
Source: FindLaw, "DUI Expungement," accessed on July 9, 2016