Thousands of people are convicted of DUI every year. Many of those people never expected they would have a criminal record. One of the most damaging consequences of a DUI conviction is that it seems to follow you for many years down the road, on your driving record, your criminal record and in your educational or career pursuits. However, for many people, there may be a way for a DUI offense to be effectively eliminated from your record. How can this be done? The answer is through a process called expungement.

In Missouri and Kansas, if an individual pled guilty to or diverted such an offense, a petition may be filed in the court of conviction or diversion for an order to expunge the official record. This includes any information regarding the arrest, trial, and conviction or diversion.

You must meet the following requirements in order to expunge your record:

• The offense must only be a misdemeanor (in Missouri)
• It must be a full 5 or 10 years since the completion of your sentence before you apply
• No other convictions of alcohol-related offenses may have taken place during those 10 years
• The expungement must be in the interests of the public welfare
• The individual's behavior must warrant expungement

After expungement, the criminal records will be confidential and only available by court order.

For legal advice regarding DUI laws and expungement in Kansas City, call on Steve Schanker. As an experienced attorney, he can answer your questions and provide legal counsel. Contact his office today for a free case evaluation.