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It’s important to remember that a DUI arrest and conviction has implications outside of the legal realm. A DUI will remain on your driving record forever, and will be brought up every time you apply for car insurance. This makes it even more critical to have the conviction removed from your record with the help of expert representation.
Here at Rosenstein Law Group, we have handled countless DUI cases on the behalf of a variety of accused individuals. We know the differences in having experienced legal counseling and trying to fight the charges on your own. If you wish to avoid the lifelong implications of a DUI, legal or otherwise, your best choice is to speak with us at the Rosenstein Law Group.
Although it’s a misdemeanor offense, a DUI conviction in Tempe will remain on your driving record permanently, and will come up in subsequent DUI arrests for a period of seven years in Arizona. Basically, this means that you are subject to increased sanctions for any other DUI you receive in that seven-year window. Even a DUI arrest with no conviction will remain with you for the rest of your life. These records can be seen by prospective education institutions and employers and can affect an individual negatively in many ways.
Although a simple arrest will not result in points on your record, convictions are a different animal, and can remain on your record for 10 years. Any points on your record will remain there for a period of three years after license reinstatement. A Tempe DUI lawyer at our firm can help you avoid having these points placed on your record, so don’t hesitate to contact the office today.
However, with the right counsel, it is possible to have the results of your case “expunged”, or set-aside by the courts. While the arrest and conviction will not simply be “erased” from your record, your record will show that the charges were dismissed. This can protect an individual from the negative effects of having an active criminal record.
There’s no getting around it: DUI convictions will result in higher insurance rates. The costs of a DUI conviction go beyond the initial penalty fees. After a driver’s license is suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), you will be required by the state to attain SR22 insurance before the possibility of having your license reinstated. An SR22 certificate is a form of liability coverage to show financial responsibility before having a license reinstated and is filed through the individual’s auto insurance company. Only after you’ve had that certificate issued to you will you have your license reinstated.
After issuing a SR22 certificate for drivers who completed the suspension period for a DUI conviction, the insurance company is sure to weigh several factors when deciding how much to raise the individual’s premiums. If you were considered a “good driver” before, you almost certainly will not be viewed that way now, however, some drivers may experience smaller rate hikes than others. Factors like gender, marital status, or the age at the time of offense will all be taken into consideration by an insurance company. A single 26-year-old male may be deemed a higher risk than a 45-year-old mother of three children. An arrest for DUI without conviction should not affect the driver’s future auto insurance premiums.
There are several factors that may protect against an increase in insurance premiums after a DUI conviction. You may be shown a degree of forgiveness by your insurer if this is your first offense. Having a clean driving record prior to the DUI arrest can do nothing but help you. If you are convicted, defensive driving courses are available and have been know to be viewed favorably by insurers. The voluntary participation in such courses designed for DUI convictions has been known to mitigate increased payments. It’s important to remember that these courses are separate from the Traffic Safety School courses that you will have to complete as part of your sentence.
Points for a DUI remain relevant to effecting insurance premiums for three years. Essentially, this allows insurers to charge you more for insurance than if you had no points on your record at all. An individual convicted of DUI can expect to experience an increase of between $300 and $800 in insurance premiums after conviction.
The information discussed above can be daunting for someone who has been or is facing conviction of a DUI in Arizona. We want both existing and potential clients to fully grasp and appreciate the big picture aspect of DUI arrests and convictions. It is so important to know that a conviction does not immediately follow an arrest, and that you have options, especially if you contact our experienced Tempe DUI defense legal team.
Additionally, for those reading who already have been convicted of DUI, being expunged is possible in order to set aside the offense from your criminal record. To learn more about your options of avoiding the negative effects of DUI conviction, contact the Rosenstein Law Group today. We offer free initial case evaluations and want to apply our legal knowledge and resources to help you achieve positive results.