I had been in a weird situation the other weekend and was at some friends house drinking and smoking weed. Some of the people there turned hostile towards me and a few punches were thrown. I was totally not expecting this to happen so I ran frantically out the house down several blocks. A police officer spotted me and began talking to me. I explained what happened but they seemed to be more concerned with my intoxicated state and booked me for Public Drunkenness. I am getting ready to graduate from grad school soon and am really worried this is going to go on my record preventing me from getting a job. Is there a chance this won’t go on my record?
Answer: (1)
In several states, public intoxication is a rather minor violation which won’t even require fingerprints and work the same way as a traffic ticket, meaning it wouldn’t go on your record. This would be known as a local ordinance violation. However, in certain states such as New York, this violation would appear on your record and an employer would be able to see it on a background check. If I were you, I’d definitely consult with an attorney in knowing my rights within the State you live in. Attorneys can be very effective in preventing this type of charge from appearing on your record, especially considering if you’ve had a clear record and you’re overall lifestyle of being in grad school, etc.
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Posted by Staff Writer on 21 Jan 2010