If you have been charged with a DWI, you might be scared, stressed, or embarrassed about your situation. One thing you should never do is ignore your DWI charges and go forward with an uncontested case which could lead to larger problems down the line. Pleading guilty to a DWI can do more to your professional life than you realize. Taking DWI charges seriously and having a DWI attorney that can lessen or fight charges is important. Here are four career-related problems that might pop up in the future if you let pending DWI charges turn into a true conviction with full penalties.
1. Educational Acceptances and Goals
DWI convictions can carry with them far-reaching penalties, including the need to disclose this information to potential colleges and educational programs. While this isn’t something that will necessarily bar you from being accepted, it could make-or-break your application if there is a close-call decision. One after-the-fact option could be to work with a DWI attorney to have a DWI expunged, but this can be hard to achieve and costly. A far better solution would be to deal with DWI charges head-on with your attorney when they happen in order to lower your chances of complications from this down the road.
2. Licensing and Renewals
Similar to educational pursuits, gaining or maintaining licenses in your field might not be an automatic guarantee after DWI convictions. Even if you had the same position for years, if periodic background checks or licensing updates are needed, convictions can bubble up and be questioned by your employer. Some high-risk positions might be strict with licensing those with a criminal or questionable past. It is a good idea to get ahead of these issues and work with a skilled attorney to keep damages from a DWI at a minimum. This can help lessen penalties on your record that would need to be disclosed to licensing boards and on job-required documents.
3. Driving Requirements on Job Descriptions
Getting charged with a DWI doesn’t necessarily mean you will lose your license, but if this is in conjunction with other vehicular charges or might not be your first offence, your chances of losing your license or having this suspended can increase. Even if you are still able to drive, your insurance rates might rise, and this might not be something potential employers will be willing to cover. Finding an attorney that can walk you through the possible ramifications of a high-risk DWI and can help with plea options might help you keep your license, even if other penalties will still apply. If you are in a field that requires driving currently or are looking into positions that will have a driving component, keeping your driving record as clean as possible should be a priority. The last thing you want is an uncontested DWI to cause you to have to disclose this information to your employer, leading to an unwanted job shift, or even dismissal.
4. Time Off Needed for DWI-Related Consequences
While you might need time off to actively contest or plea down a DWI, this pales in comparison to time-consuming consequences that could be a result of not fighting a DWI charge. If your employer isn’t flexible with time off, making your own schedule, or needs for personal time, you might find yourself in a conflict with your employer when it comes to state or court-mandated public service, addiction programs, or house arrest requirements. Being upfront with your employer that you are actively working through a legal issue now so this doesn’t turn into a long-term problem can be helpful. Working with a DWI attorney that will help you manage your charges and lessen convictions can get the ball rolling so you can get back to your life.
Dealing with a looming DWI might seem stressful and expensive to deal with, but the costs of working through this aggressively with an attorney today far outweigh the costs this could pose to your future, including career pursuits and goals. Anything that you can do today to decrease harm to your career down the line, the better. If you are looking for a skilled DWI attorney in the Minneapolis area to review your specific case and see if your possible DWI conviction could be thrown out or lowered, contact us today to help you move through this process.
Disclaimer: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.
