"Can My OWI/DUI Conviction be Expunged?"

“Is OWI a Misdemeanor Crime?”

“Can I have a diversion or delayed sentence to avoid an OWI conviction on my record?”

“How long will this conviction be on my public record?”

“Will there ever be a change in the expungement laws to allow me to remove this OWI?”

Unfortunately, OWI/DUI is either a misdemeanor or felony under Michigan law. A person who is arrested for OWI has to provide fingerprints, and a comprehensive criminal history report (“CCH”) is generated. This CCH report can easily be accessed by the public via State Police websites and other background search sites.  And, if a person either pleads guilty or no contest to the charge, or is found guilty at trial, the CCH reveals a conviction. That conviction can never be removed, and will remain on a person’s CCH for the rest of his or her life unless Michigan changes its expungement eligibility laws. There are no available diversion/delayed sentence programs for OWI/DUI, so there’s no way to “earn” the dismissal of the conviction after a period of probation like there is for many other criminal offenses.  

If you’ve been charged with an OWI/DUI in Michigan, the best way to avoid a lifetime conviction on your record is to avoid a conviction in the first place. Dan and his team at Geherin Law Group in Michigan have won many OWI cases over the past 23 years. Contact a licensing lawyer in Ann Arbor, Michigan today to learn your rights!

Why Can’t an OWI/DUI Conviction be Expunged?

On September 24 2020, the Michigan legislature sent a package of bills (collectively referred to as, “Clean Slate Initiatives”) to the Governor which would expand expungement eligibility for thousands of Michigan residents who have been convicted of certain crimes. The laws will: lessen waiting times; make some charges automatically erasable; expand the number of convictions eligible; and shelter some juvenile cases from public view. What’s missing from this new package of bills? OWI/DUI Expungement.  

If you’ve been charged with an OWI/DUI in Michigan, the best way to avoid a lifetime conviction on your record is to avoid a conviction in the first place. Dan and his team at Geherin Law Group in Michigan have won many OWI cases over the past 23 years.

Contact a licensing lawyer in Ann Arbor, Michigan today to learn your rights!