CAN YOU EXPUNGE OR SEAL A DUI ON YOUR CRIMINAL RECORD IN ILLINOIS?

Long after the ordeal of court, the embarrassment of a DUI lingers. You even fear it might affect your job search. Can you get it off your criminal record?

The answer depends on the outcome of your case. Under Illinois expungement and sealing law, DUIs and other traffic offenses cannot be cleared. However, if your case was dismissed or you were found not guilty, you may be able to petition for expungement.

(Expungement clears all records off your arrest, including those held by police. Sealing means that your record is cleared for most public purposes but is still available to law enforcement.)

A supervision for most other misdemeanor offenses can be cleared as it is technically not a conviction. Unfortunately, this does not hold true for DUI.

Even if your record is expunged, you may still have to fight with online websites that post arrest records and mugshots to have them take down their information. Some will comply once you present them with the signed order of expungement.

Fortunately, many employers will not hold a DUI against you the way they would many other criminal offenses. A DUI is not a crime of honesty and often, there is a little more understanding for the one time you may have exercised poor judgment in getting behind the wheel of a car.

If you have been charged with DUI, contact an experienced attorney immediately. An attorney can review your case for its best possible defense. Did the police have probable cause to stop you? Can the state prove that you drove the car when impaired? Even if the evidence against you is overwhelming, an attorney who is respected in the court house may be able to negotiate a more favorable plea agreement than you could on your own.

If you have questions about this or another related Illinois criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)