If you are a nurse with a DUI conviction, we need to talk. You might be on probation or not allowed to work at all. If it happened long enough ago that you are back to work, you may still have this cloud hanging over you. Or maybe you recently finished nursing school, and because of this one mistake, you feel like all that hard work is now for nothing.
What if we told you that it might be possible to get your DUI expunged from your record? Interested? Good. Let’s talk about how, together, we can make this work for you.
What Does DUI Expunged Mean?
Simply put, getting your DUI “expunged” means removing it from your record. It takes a court order to get the DUI off your public records.
If you get your DUI expunged, it will no longer show up on background checks. By law, employers (and landlords) are not allowed to take into consideration anything that has been removed from your records, even if they find out about it another way.
Is It Possible for Nurses to Get Their DUI Expunged?
There’s a myth out there that, eventually, your DUI will be removed from your record after some time. This is not true.
Nurses can have their DUI expunged from their records. However, even if you get it removed, you are still required to report it to the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).
For those applying for their nursing license, the BRN says, “If the convictions are over seven years old and/or the conviction was later expunged, the enforcement review will be very brief, and the applicant should not expect a delayed response. Any conviction defined as a “serious felony” will have a full enforcement review, regardless of how old it is.”
So, you might be thinking to yourself, “why bother?” Whether it’s the right thing to do or not, you always have to report it. Even if they can’t hold it against you later.
What Else Should You Know About Getting Your DUI Expunged?
Nothing is free, including getting your DUI off your record. But it’s a bit like providing your future self a safety net. It will cost around just over $2,500 to get your DUI taken off your public record. This means it shouldn’t show up on any background checks done by a potential employer. However, you should also know that while you can get your DUI expunged from public records such as background checks, it will still show up on your driving record. Your driving record is a separate record from what potential employers look at for background checks. So if you’re applying for a job that involves driving, then they may find it that way.
Finally, in California, you will have to petition the court to have the DUI expunged from your record. It takes roughly three to four months from start to finish to complete this process. Once done, you will be able to honestly answer “No” when asked a question regarding criminal convictions.
Let RN Guardian Help
The most important reason to hire a lawyer to have your DUI expunged from your record is so that if you find yourself in trouble again down the road, the previous conviction won’t be held against you.
A DUI charge can change your life. If you’ve had an unfortunate experience with the law, contact RN Guardian to discuss your next steps. We are here to help!
Our team of experts not only knows DUI law, but they also know all about the nursing profession. They can help you navigate your way during this difficult time, so you land right back to where you started before this nightmare began.