DUI Conviction in Cleveland
Everyone makes mistakes. In the U.S., millions of people are convicted of various DUI or DWI charges every year. Even a great law firm can’t always prevent a conviction. If you’re facing this situation, it’s too soon to give up hope. You may have to face some harsh penalties, but they don’t stick forever. In Cleveland, these violations are categorized as Operating a Vehicle while under the Influence (OVI). They are serious, and a conviction will certainly make your life difficult, but if you endure the punishment, you can get everything back on track.
Getting Your Ohio Driver’s License Back after DUI or DWI
Once you have been convicted of an OVI violation, your options are quickly limited. While your lawyer may look into appeals options, the fastest way to get your license back is usually to play ball. Show up to every court appearance required. Pay the fines. Serve the time if there is any. Most importantly, complete any rehabilitation or education programs assigned to you. The people who run these programs can have a big say in your future, so do your best.
Once you have fulfilled your sentence, there are still some steps to take before you can drive again. You need to make sure you have proper insurance, and in many cases you’ll need to fill out extra paperwork to prove you have insurance. You can take your paperwork to a BMV location and apply for reinstatement. Pay any fees and you can start driving again.
The most important part of this process is obvious but bears repeating. Do not drive while your license is suspended. Too many people do it, and there is little legal help to offer. It only makes the problem worse.
Ohio DUI Consequences
The public record of your driving violation will not disappear overnight. Ohio does not allow any OVI expunges, so you will have to wait for it to fall off of your record on its own. The Driving Abstract is the documentation that keeps this record, and it usually only goes back three years. When that happens, you can look forward to many aspects of your life returning to normal. Until then, you might find trouble with a number of seemingly unrelated issues.
- Child Custody. Child custody battles are often messy, and an OVI violation will hurt your case.
- Civil Lawsuits. Like with custody battles, lawsuits can dredge up your past to make you look bad in court.
- Military Status. Additional punishment for OVIs is up to the discretion of the military, but they have the power to add their own punishments to anything decided by the state of Ohio.
- Education. OVIs and similar violations can impact your eligibility for financial aid.
- Travel. Some countries will ban you from entering until the violation falls off of your record.
If you believe you are facing unjust discrimination or fallout from your OVI violation, an attorney may be able to help. Appeals processes and special circumstances may enable you to seek retribution or alternatives to help your situation. After all a single mistake should not be enough to ruin your life.