So, I was charged with a DUI first offense (alcohol concentration of .10) but my lawyer got me a plea deal where I pled to reckless driving and driving in the wrong lane. The prosecutor said if I did 48 hours in jail, it would be reduced to reckless driving, but I’m a little confused about what that means for my record. My lawyer’s assistant said it would be just a traffic thing and wouldn’t show up as a criminal record, but online some sources say reckless driving is still a criminal charge. Anyone know what this actually means for my record? I’m in South Carolina, btw.
Sounds like a messy situation. But from what I know, reckless driving can be a misdemeanor, so it could still show up on a criminal background check. You might want to double-check with your lawyer to make sure what your record will look like after this.
@rayo
Yeah, I thought the same. I’d ask again to be sure. Maybe the plea deal has some specific details about whether it stays on your criminal record or not?
Zorion said:
@rayo
Yeah, I thought the same. I’d ask again to be sure. Maybe the plea deal has some specific details about whether it stays on your criminal record or not?
Thanks! I’ll definitely ask again. I’m just trying to understand it all before moving forward. I don’t wanna get stuck with something unexpected later on.
I had a similar deal, and the reckless driving was on my driving record but not on my criminal record. It’s weird how it works, but they might be able to help clear it up later if it’s a misdemeanor.
Nova said:
I had a similar deal, and the reckless driving was on my driving record but not on my criminal record. It’s weird how it works, but they might be able to help clear it up later if it’s a misdemeanor.
Good to know, thanks! So, it’s more of a traffic violation but still serious enough to show up somewhere?
@rayo
Exactly. It’s a serious enough offense to affect your insurance and license, but it might not show up in criminal background checks unless you have a criminal record for something else.
I had a DUI reduced to reckless driving years ago. It showed up as a misdemeanor on my record, but after a few years, I was able to get it expunged. If you’re worried about it showing up, you could ask your lawyer about that option too!
@Wei
I didn’t even think about expunging it. That’s actually a good idea! I’ll bring that up next time I talk to my lawyer.
If they told you that you won’t have a criminal record and only a traffic record, it’s possible that the plea deal includes some sort of deferred adjudication or some other way to avoid it being a permanent criminal record. Just confirm that with them.
@Frankie
Yeah, I’d definitely double-check that. It might be worth asking if it’s going to be expunged later or if there’s a way to clear it off the criminal record in the future.
rayo said:
@Frankie
Yeah, I’d definitely double-check that. It might be worth asking if it’s going to be expunged later or if there’s a way to clear it off the criminal record in the future.
Exactly! Some plea deals let you clear it after a few years if you meet certain conditions. So it’s good to know all the details before it’s too late.
Honestly, it sounds like you got a pretty good deal with avoiding the DUI charge. But yeah, I’d keep asking your lawyer until you’re 100% clear about the criminal record part. Better safe than sorry!
Zorion said:
Honestly, it sounds like you got a pretty good deal with avoiding the DUI charge. But yeah, I’d keep asking your lawyer until you’re 100% clear about the criminal record part. Better safe than sorry!
Thanks! I’m definitely going to ask again just to make sure. I appreciate all the help!