Background checks fall into the bucket of things that you care about only when they become problematic – when you have reason to worry about it. As expected, if you are found guilty of driving under the influence in Ohio you will a reason to worry about your background checks for a (potentially) very long time – maybe forever. The reason for your worry is because a conviction goes on your criminal record which is often part of a background check. Most employers and all government agencies run background checks on potential employees. Additionally, if you are preparing to enter a licensed profession, i.e. law, medical, etc., you will certainly have to submit to a background check prior to admission.
Where Do Background Checks Come Into Play?
Professional and Academic check
This option can be described as when the new employer calls your last employer to confirm the job you did. The two parties will likely speak about your job duties and our performance evaluations. Generally, this is the least invasive of a background check and will often result in nothing too crazy being uncovered.
Character and Financial check
A character and financial check are where the idea is to find out what you are like as a person and whether you have ever filed for bankruptcy or been associated with a bankrupt company. Companies often use this type of background check to see your responsibility level. Many individuals use the bankruptcy system because they fell on hard times which is perfectly legitimate. However, if you have credit card debt on multiple cards, the employer may begin to wonder about your management style.
Criminal Check
A criminal background check is often used to find out if you have been in trouble with the legal system. This type of background check is where the DUI/OVI comes to fruition. While only authorized people and organizations can request your criminal history in Ohio, it is not terribly hard to get authorized and there are many firms who serve those who are not authorized themselves.
What Do The Background Checks Show?
It is also important to know that the reports from these checks are not put together in any sort of comprehensive scoring where the employer gets a balanced overview of positive things canceling negative ones. Fair or not, the moment your potential employer sees the DUI/OVI charge, it almost does not matter what your character, professional or academic record says. In fact, because the criminal record comes from a clearly unbiased source (court and police records) it will supersede the sources which can be biased (personal, professional ones).
Can A DUI Be Expunged?
Unfortunately, in Ohio, once a DUI is on your record it is not possible for expungement. Expungement is a process provided by the court system that allows you to have references to criminal convictions cleared and files relating to the incident sealed. The State Legislature has stated that there are certain offenses under Ohio law that are not eligible for expungement. Charges of Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol cannot be expunged. As a result, if a person has received a conviction for OVI or DUI, they are not eligible for expungement. Therefore, it is imperative that you are forthcoming with anyone regarding your DUI conviction because there is simply no way to hide it in this state. The points on your driving record will eventually drop off; however, the conviction will remain as long as you live.
Contact Us
It is imperative that you seek the counsel of a seasoned attorney if you are charged with a DUI in Ohio. There are many different defenses that may be raised in order to exonerate you or lessen the charge in order to minimize the sting. Please give us a call if you are ever charged with a DUI or OVI in Ohio. We would love to help you fight the charge so as to not ruin your professional career because of one bad decision.
