What to do about a 16 year old DUI?
Question Details:
I was arrested for a first DUI (a misdemeanor) in WA. When I went to court, my file was not found. I have heard nothing since. If that DUI shows up in an employment background check (requiring fingerprinting), where do I stand? Will they send me from MT (where I now reside) back to WA to appear in court or has enough time passed that nothing will happen to me?
If you were arrested for a driving under the influence charge when you were a minor but were never convicted of the charge, then you essentially have nothing to worry about about it showing up in your background check.
Many times people are charged with a crime but are never convicted. In this country, all people under our criminal justice system are presumed innocent until convicted of a crime.
Another plus concerning your concern about the criminal background check is that you were charged with this offense as a minor. Under state law, all criminal files concerning minors are sealed per court order.
If you have heard nothing about your criminal matter by now and a long period of time has passed from the arrest and the present date, most likely the charge against you will not be pushed further.
Good luck.
