The Career Impact of DUI and Related Offenses in Arizona
by Daniel Jaffe, Attorney At Law
One of the most common questions we get from clients is what impact a DUI conviction or arrest will have on their career. While there is no single answer, history is encouraging for the job prospects for somebody with a DUI on their record. The current President of the United States has a DUI in his past. The current Vice President allegedly has two prior DUIs. Their DUIs obviously didn't prevent them from rising to power.
If you are convicted of a regular or extreme DUI in Arizona, unless your license was suspended at the time of your arrest, unless you had a child in the car, or unless you had two or more prior DUIs with the immediate past 7 years, your conviction is likly a misdemeanor. That means that if asked on a job application whether you have been convicted of a felony, you would likly be able to answer "no." However, if asked whether you have been convicted of a "crime" the answer would be "yes" because a misdemeanor DUI is a crime.
There is currently no provision in Arizona to have a DUI conviction "expunged" from your record.
The individual industry in which you work will determine the impact of an Arizona DUI on your career. Always consult with an experienced DUI lawyer prior to making any decisions regarding your job as it relates to your Arizona DUI.