Unfortunately, a DUI conviction in the state of Georgia can not be expunged from a criminal record, no matter the circumstances. Even for a first offense DUI by a driver with no existing criminal record, a DUI conviction will remain on your criminal record for the rest of your life.

In some jurisdictions, a DUI charge can be expunged from a criminal record if certain requirements are met. For example, in the state of Pennsylvania, after the successful completion of a rehabilitative course known as ARD, many drivers charged with a first offense are able to have the charge removed from their criminal record. It may come as a shock to those who have lived in jurisdictions such as Pennsylvania that a DUI in Georgia will never come off of a criminal record.

In a comparative study of DUI law across the United States, Georgia is ranked as one of the strictest jurisdictions in the country. The state comes in at #9 in an overall ranking of states from the most harsh to the most lenient penalties.

The impact of having a DUI on your criminal record could mean that you must disclose this fact on future job applications if you are asked if you've been convicted of a crime, along with several other implications.

It is important to remember that just because you have been charged with DUI in the state of Georgia, this does not mean you will be convicted. You can and should fight drunk driving charges. To avoid the lifelong implications of a DUI conviction, be sure to locate an attorney with experience fighting a variety of DUI cases. I have focused my career exclusively on defending Georgians charged with DUI. Call me anytime, day or night, and together we will fight to defend your rights.