The Effects of Drugs Charges on Your Record

06 Apr The Effects of Drugs Charges on Your Record

If you’ve ever been faced with drug charges, there are surely many questions floating around in your mind about what will happen to you after the court appearances end.

In this article, we’ll discuss the most commonly asked questions about drug charges and how it affects the rest of your life.

How long do drug charges stay on my record?

There are different time periods allotted for different charges, depending on severity.

1. If the charges on your record are misdemeanors of Class B or lower, the charge will stay on your record for 4 years from the time your probation terminates.
2. If the charges on your record are Class A misdemeanors, the charge will stay on your record for 5 years from the time your probation terminates.
3. If the charge is a felony, then the charge will stay on your record for 7 years from the time your probation terminates.

The charges will not disappear automatically at the end of these time periods, as well. They will stay on your record forever unless you go through the expungement process. It takes 3 to 6 months and money to get a charge expunged from your record.

How can I get my drug charges off my record?

As mentioned before, you need to get them expunged after your probation and the allotted waiting period mentioned above has expired. Then you must follow these steps:

1. Contact BCI and pay $50 to have them research your criminal history. They will determine which of your charges are even eligible for expungement.
2. Then you must send $56 for every charge you want to expunge and which is eligible for expungement. They will send you a certificate of eligibility of expungement.
3. Once you receive that certificate, we advise that you seek the advice of an attorney as the process gets very complicated and complex. They will be able to help you navigate the murky waters of expungement.

How will my drug charges affect the rest of my life?

The bottom line is that employers don’t like seeing drug charges on your record because they will view your employee-ship as a liability to their company. It will most likely be very difficult to find a job, but not impossible.

Stay vigilant, follow the guidelines of your probation, and look forward to the day when you get expunge the charge from your record forever.

If you need legal representation and help navigating the system, give us a call.