Navigating Criminal Misdemeanor Prosecutions in Rhode Island by a RI Criminal Law Attorney

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DUI / Drunk Driving charges

In Rhode Island, any plea to drunk driving, driving under the influence, DUI/ DWI is a conviction under Rhode Island law. A breathalyzer refusal plea of guilty or "admitting to sufficient facts" is not a criminal conviction because a breathalyzer refusal is a civil case.

EXPUNGEMENT IN RI

Rhode Island Liberal Expungement Policy & Background Information:

Rhode Island (RI) has some of the most liberal expungement laws in the United States. If you are eligible for an expungement, why not get those menacing and harmful criminal records erased, sealed or destroyed! If a criminal record is expunged you are legally allowed to tell others that you have no record.

This article is an in depth and in detail explanation of Expungement law in RI as of August 2008. Expungement law and policy is in a state of flux. The legislature is attempting to make expungement policy even more liberal, while the governor is trying to make it more difficult to expunge records.

Even the Supreme Court of Rhode Island (RI) has recently weighed in on expungment matters. These three branches of government are in disagreement concerning expungement policy.

In order to get a Criminal record expunged in Rhode Island, a motion must be filed and a Court hearing is required. You should contact a Rhode Island Criminal Law Expungement Attorney / Lawyer. It is not advisably to file an expungement without a RI lawyer.

Expungement of Dismissed records:

The general rule is that dismissed criminal charges (48a) can always be expunged unless the person has a prior felony conviction. This portion of the statute uses the standard definition of a conviction- a fine, suspended sentence or jail.

Should dismissed charges be expunged

Many people don't realize that records of alleged crimes that are dismissed should be expunged / erased. Even though the case was dismissed, there is still an indication on the Rhode Island criminal computer records and on your Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) report that you were charged with the criminal offense.

The public can easily view the dismissed records and other rhode Island criminal records online by googling "rhode island criminal records"-Many people will assume that you did something wrong even if the case was dismissed. Some people will assume that you just "got off on a technicality" or that you are a bad character by the very fact that you were charged. A criminal record could effect your ability to secure employment and often is required to be disclosed on an employment application. A criminal record could also effect your ability to obtain government benefits or a employee promotion.

Are there dismissed charges that cannot be expunged immediately?

A dismissed charge may not be able to be expunged if the related charges cannot be expunged. For example, if you were charged with three offenses related to the same incident and 2 were dismissed but the third you received a sentence of probation. You would have to wait until the probation charge could be expunged until the other dismissed charges could also be expunged. The reason for this is because you cannot destroy portions of a file! I believe the primary reason for this rule is because it is logistically impossible to expunge a charge when there are other records in a related incident that cannot be expunged.

For example, John was charged with domestic assault, failure to relinquish telephone and disorderly conduct arising out of a domestic dispute with his wife related to their pending divorce. John received probation on the disorderly conduct. The assault and failure to relinquish phone charges were dismissed. John would not be allowed to expunge the two dismissed charges and would need to wait five years after completion of the probation to dismiss all the charges.