Austin Texas DWI Record. When it comes to being convicted of DWI in the city of Austin, Texas, this is something that can result in serious consequences that can affect multiple aspects of your life. Not only can something like this on your record influence your family, future, freedom, and job, but there are also various repercussions that can restrict your driving privileges and finances thanks to fines and surcharges as well.
Those who are facing DWI charges in Austin often find themselves asking exactly how long this kind of conviction will end up staying on their record. The simple answer to this question is that, at least in the state of Texas, a DWI conviction is permanent and will remain on your record on an indefinite basis.
Keep in mind that being arrested or charged with DWI never means that you are automatically guilty of it, and it’s extremely important that you do everything you can to fight all of the charges. This is because it’s entirely possible to have the charges themselves wither reduced or completely dismissed thanks to an experienced attorney.
Many individuals tend to believe that if their case ends up getting dismissed then their DWI will no longer exist on their record. The truth, however, is that getting this kind of case dismissed doesn’t actually erase the offense itself from your criminal history. In the city of Austin, the only way to ensure the erasure of this is through a process known as expunction. Generally defined, expunction is when any and all record of an offense is completely eliminated from your criminal record. In order to be able to get an expunction, you must first have your case dismissed. On the other hand, if you either pleaded guilty or were convicted of a DWI, you will not be eligible for an expunction.
All of the circumstances and details regarding each DWI case are always different, and determining whether or not it’s possible to obtain an expunction can be a difficult process involving the facts of each specific case. Depending on the outcome of your case, an experienced DWI attorney can take the time to review your case and determine if it will be possible for a court to grant an expunction.
Austin Texas DWI Record. Texas’s DWI laws can make it complicated to obtain an expunction in the city of Austin. According to Title 1, Chapter 55 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, an expunction of criminal records will only be permitted under certain instances such as the following:
*An arrest for a crime that was never actually charged
*A criminal charge that ended u getting dismissed
*A charge/arrest/conviction on an individual’s record due to identity theft by someone else who was convicted of the crime
*A conviction for a crime that an individual was later acquitted for by the trial court or Criminal Court of Appeals
*A conviction for a crime that an individual was later pardoned for by either the Governor of Texas or the President of the United States