Impact of a DC DUI Arrest
A person arrested for a DUI offense faces possible consequences to their criminal record, their job, their insurance, and to many other areas of their life. With this in mind, it is imperative those charged consult with a DC DUI lawyer as soon as possible to begin preparing a defense and mitigating the damage as much as possible. To discuss your case and the steps that may be available to you, call and schedule a consultation today.
Impact on Insurance
A person arrested for driving under the influence could face increased insurance premiums or the possibility of having their insurance dropped altogether.
When a person is arrested for a DUI, the courts do not necessarily notify insurance companies of the DUI arrest. The insurance companies therefore might find out about the DUI case through the person’s DMV record which could result in a person’s insurance premiums being raised or in the termination of their policy altogether.
Impact on Employment
There are some jobs in which a first offense DUI arrest has a minimal impact on employment. Some employers consider the fact that a person has been arrested only once for a DUI as a relatively minor issue. Many people get arrested for DUIs and in many situations could be convicted for DUIs. Accordingly, neither the DUI record nor the conviction may necessarily result in you being denied a job or being terminated from your job.
With that said, there are some jobs which could be significantly affected as a result of a DUI arrest. That includes jobs that require government security clearances or jobs that require a commercial driver’s license. If a person works for a government agency or a government contractor, they may be required to pass certain government security clearances in order to keep or apply for those jobs.
With this in mind, an individual could be denied a security clearance for any criminal conviction, even misdemeanor criminal convictions such as driving under the influence. Additionally, certain other jobs that require certain kinds of licensing such as commercial driver’s licenses, or professional licensing such as jobs in law enforcement may also not be available to those with a DUI charge.
Informing an Employer of a DUI Arrest
Many employers run only very limited background checks on their employees where they only look for felony convictions on a person’s record or only look for criminal cases that could specifically affect an employee’s ability to do their job. For that reason, many employers may not consider a DUI arrest or conviction as a reason to terminate a person’s job, especially if that person was arrested and charged for a first offense DUI.
Some employers run regular background checks or require an employee to provide notification of an arrest immediately upon the arrest taking place. If a person has a government security clearance as a requirement for their job, those security clearances often require employees to immediately report any arrest upon the arrest taking place.
Even if a person has not yet been charged or convicted of a crime, the arrest alone imposes a requirement for people with government security clearances to report that arrest and update their employer about any changes in their case. As a result, it is important for a person with a security clearance or any other job which requires immediate reporting of an arrest to understand the time frame in which they are required to report that arrest. They should discuss with their lawyer whether they are required to report under their circumstances and what kind of information they might be required to disclose.
Getting a License in Another State
A DUI arrest could have serious consequences for a person’s license to drive. That includes their ability to drive in their home state where they are licensed, and their ability to switch their license to another state.
A DUI case in Washington, DC could result in the revocation of a person’s driving privileges in Washington, DC, and may also result in a hold being imposed on their driving privileges in other states. That prevents the person from renewing an out-of-state license or applying for a driver’s license in another state.
They may not be able to renew their out-of-state license or apply to get a driver’s license in the other state until that hold is lifted.
Traveling After a DUI
When a person is not from Washington, DC, and is charged with a DUI in Washington, DC, there are usually no limitations as to where a person is allowed to go or travel. In a situation where a person faces pending charges, they will typically have the freedom to visit other states or leave the country, as long as they promise to return for their next court date.
However, a person should be aware of their limitations regarding where they are permitted to drive. For example, for a resident of Maryland with a Maryland driver’s license, the District of Columbia could suspend the person’s ability to drive within the District of Columbia as a result of their DUI arrest.
A person should discuss with their lawyer what impact that has on their ability to drive inside and outside the District.
If a person is not from the United States and is arrested for driving under the influence while travelling in Washington, DC, that person would be allowed to return to their home country as long as they return back to the United States for any pending court cases.
However, if a person is arrested for a DUI while in the US on a temporary visa, that person needs to discuss with an immigration lawyer what consequences, if any, their arrest could have on their ability to remain in the United States, to reenter the US after leaving, or to apply for a green card or naturalization.