Obviously, suffering a California drunk driving conviction is never a good thing. You face substantial fines, participation in alcohol and/or drug education classes, car insurance repercussions, and, depending on the severity of the offense, sometimes even a county jail or prison sentence. But is there a worry about losing a professional license?
1. How does a California DUI impact a person’s professional license?
Perhaps one of the harshest penalties with a DUI charge is the possibility of losing or never obtaining a professional license. Whether you’re convicted of a DUI, drug charge, theft charge, or almost any other California crime, your livelihood is at risk.
2. What professions discipline drunk driving?
As an example, the California Department of Real Estate may suspend or revoke your license for a DUI conviction, even if you have the conviction expunged or go so far as to obtain a pardon. And the California Department of Real Estate is not the only agency that will suspend or revoke your license for a criminal conviction.
The medical profession, the dental board, attorneys, teachers…these are just a sample of the professions that discipline members for their criminal conduct.
If you are arrested for any California crime, you should immediately consult with a California criminal defense attorney to protect yourself from these often unduly harsh penalties. Learn more about criminal arrests/convictions affecting professional licenses in California. (Also refer to our article, Professional Licenses and Criminal Convictions in California.)
