DWI Charge, but not Conviction

[BabyeZeus]

A few years ago, I was charged with DWI, but it was dismissed and I was never actualy convicted of DWI. Instead, I was convicted of Careless Driving. I wanted to get opinions about what to do. I don't want to mention the DWI charge since I wasn't convicted, but I also don't want to appear as if I'm hiding something. I'm obviously going to mention my Careless Driving as I was actually convicted, though. Thoughts?? Advice?

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[Minnerbelle]

A few years ago, I was charged with DWI, but it was dismissed and I was never actualy convicted of DWI. Instead, I was convicted of Careless Driving. I wanted to get opinions about what to do. I don't want to mention the DWI charge since I wasn't convicted, but I also don't want to appear as if I'm hiding something. I'm obviously going to mention my Careless Driving as I was actually convicted, though. Thoughts?? Advice?

according to that, you were just driving stupid and not driving drunk.

All VMCAS asks you is this:

Have you ever pled nolo contendere (no contest) or been convicted of either a felony or a misdemeanor, other than a minor traffic violation? (Mandatory)

You must answer yes to this question if you ever pled nolo contendere (no contest) or have ever been convicted of either a felony or a misdemeanor, other than a minor traffic violation. If your response is yes, you must provide a full explanation in the designated box. You have 360 characters for your response.

Doesn't say anything about mentioning getting charged for something you didn't get convicted with. No need to bring up negative things about yourself that they didn't ask for IMO.

 

[Bisbee]

Just answer honestly. If the question asks if you were ever convicted of a crime, you say it was the careless driving. If the question asks if you were every arrested and for what reason, you say for driving under the influence. Then you explain how far removed you are from that person you used to be if an explanation is asked for.

 

[SilverSpyderGT]

You should probably talk to a lawyer - depending on what state you are in, careless driving could either be considered a misdemeanor or merely a civil infraction (like, for example, a speeding ticket).

If your state considers reckless driving a misdemeanor, then you should divulge it on your VMCAS application.

 

[LetItSnow]

A few years ago, I was charged with DWI, but it was dismissed and I was never actualy convicted of DWI. Instead, I was convicted of Careless Driving. I wanted to get opinions about what to do. I don't want to mention the DWI charge since I wasn't convicted, but I also don't want to appear as if I'm hiding something. I'm obviously going to mention my Careless Driving as I was actually convicted, though. Thoughts?? Advice?

If you were not convicted, you should not bring up that DWI charge.

I'd second what SilverSpyder said, but I'd go about it this way: I'd grab the exact verbiage from VMCAS (the stuff Minnerbelle quoted) and I'd take that to a lawyer familiar with the law in whatever state the careless driving conviction occurred, and I'd ask them.

It's that "other than a minor traffic violation" part that I think you need a professional opinion on.... you got me curious, and wiki says that reckless driving is usually more serious than careless driving, which would make me wonder if careless driving - even if a misdemeanor and not a petty misdemeanor - qualifies for "minor traffic violation."

Anyway. You need an expert to answer this.

 

[Dsmoody23]

If you weren't convicted, and you didn't plead guilty, there is absolutely no reason to ever mention the DUI.

Worst case scenario, you have to justify the Reckless Driving.

I don't know about you, but I drive reckless as a motherf----- pretty much every day. Chin up, buddy.

 

[bbeventer]

You should probably talk to a lawyer - depending on what state you are in, careless driving could either be considered a misdemeanor or merely a civil infraction (like, for example, a speeding ticket).

If your state considers reckless driving a misdemeanor, then you should divulge it on your VMCAS application.

I agree with Silver, it really depends what state you are in and how they categorize careless driving. To mean minor traffic infractions would be (speeding ticket, parking ticket, ticket for having a headlight out- I just got one of those , etc)

If you really don't want to divulge any information, speak to a lawyer to make sure it is considered minor.

 

[Minnerbelle]

just clarifying that my advice was only about the DUI. That clearly, OP was not convicted of it, so there's no reason to divulge it. I was thinking that careless driving was the term for reckless driving in some states (tomaytoes, tomahtoes), and therefore a misdemeanor that the OP was already resolved to explaining... but silverspyder has a good point. What exactly is careless driving?

 

[Armymutt25A]

One thing that was mentioned to us by the NCSU lawyers is that you must divulge any arrests for DUI when you apply for your license. They said they can usually expunge the record though. So, it's something you'll have to deal with if you get in.

 

[SilverSpyderGT]

One thing that was mentioned to us by the NCSU lawyers is that you must divulge any arrests for DUI when you apply for your license. They said they can usually expunge the record though. So, it's something you'll have to deal with if you get in.

We had a couple in my graduating class - while you generally can't get a DUI arrest expunged, if you can make a good case for your moral character and the fact that it does not represent a pattern of substance abuse, a DUI arrest should not preclude you from a veterinary license.

There are also a ton of threads about this in the pre-allo/med student boards, just due to the fact that their sample size is larger. Be forewarned, though... sometimes people don't come out of those boards alive.

 

[bunnity]

Unfortunately I have nothing helpful to add but I think it's a little bit funny that pre-vets can give legal advice but not vet advice... I wonder if the pre-lawyers are allowed to give medical advice on their forums?

 

[breenie]

Unfortunately I have nothing helpful to add but I think it's a little bit funny that pre-vets can give legal advice but not vet advice... I wonder if the pre-lawyers are allowed to give medical advice on their forums?

Probs.

 

[LetItSnow]

Unfortunately I have nothing helpful to add but I think it's a little bit funny that pre-vets can give legal advice but not vet advice... I wonder if the pre-lawyers are allowed to give medical advice on their forums?

Even better, I think we can give free (human) medical advice; just not free (vet) medical advice.

 

[twelvetigers]

I doubt that, since the allo section is right next door...

 

[Tambotie]

I am quite a bit older than most here but when I was 21 years old (and I am 39 years old) the same thing happened to me. At that time, what I blew was not in the legal limit but rather in the range of an officer's discretion to arrest/not arrest. He was a jerk, and I was immature...so I was arrested. Actually, I had two beers in a period of two hours but I had not really eaten anything. Long story short, I got a really good lawyer (recommended to me by a police officer, also a friend of mine, from a different jurisdiction) went to court and all charges were dropped and expunged from my record. Subsequent to this I had to get a copy of my driving record (for job related thing...and this would have been the only thing on my record if I had been convicted...well aside from a few speeding tickets)...and there was nothing of the DWI on my record. Now this was a long time ago and I did not include on my vet school apps b/c it was expunged from my record. Plus, I also have a top secret security clearance...and I can't recall if this got asked of me during my background interview. Well, if it had I was truthful (and stated all charges dropped and expunged). And this had no adverse impact on securing my clearance.

 

[MadDog20]

Your states DMV handbook (download online) should clearly lay out what your conviction is considered (most states even associate license points- different from insurance points- with different driving tickets). There can be a severe difference in reckless driving and in careless driving in different states, with reckless driving being a felony offense or a criminal misdemeanor and careless driving varying from a misdemeanor to a minor traffic violation. If it truly is careless driving (get a copy of your driving record - very easy to order off of most states DMV websites), and careless driving is a minor charge in your state, then according to the AVMA question, which tells you to exclude minor violations, you would then mention nothing.

I say this because the wording here can be important, its not really a big secret that a lot of 1st time DUIs are reduced to reckless driving, and unfortunately many people could interpret your reckless driving charge that way....careless driving is often much less serious (in a state where it is a minor violation)... it would be more like talking on the cell and driving or any small moving traffic violation, ... so you want to know where you stand and if you have to report the careless driving or not

Just go online and order a copy of your driving record... you need to be certain of what exactly is showing up.... the important thing here is not what you were originally charged for (how many times do people get pulled over for speeding and drive away w/ a seatbelt ticket)...its what is showing up, and what the legal meaning of that is in your state.

 

[Fireflysushi]

I have two friends with DUI's on their records. They both applied to vet school last year. One came clean and talked about her conviction and what she learned from it in her personal statement. The other just glossed over it. Guess which one got in?

I know that this advice is not really relevent to you because you didn't get convicted, but for those out there who have; try to make it into a learning experience and vet schools will think you have learned from your mistakes.