14 yr old dui re-appears!!!!!!

[Celtman]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio

I am a 33 year old British Citizen. I recieved a DUI in West Virginia during freshman year in college (14 years ago, when I was 19). I pled 'No Contest', got convicted, spent a couple days in jail and paid a couple hundred in fines/costs. At the time, I had no American Driver License. They (WV) sent something in the mail for me to attend a defensive driving course, but since I was attending college in Ohio, I never went.

I applied for and received an Ohio Driver's License a few years later. I have renewed it several times since. Anyway, I tried to renew it the other day, and Ohio BMV said there was a 'block' on my license from WV. I call WV BMV, and they tell me I have to attend a 72 hour residential 'Driver Intervention' to have my license 're-instated' (even though I never had a license back then). Anyway, I have since become a Permanent Resident, have stayed out of any trouble, and have a respectable career.

Is there any way I can get out of this 72 hour course? It seems a bit ridiculous, to say the least- or should I bite the bullett?

 

[FlyingRon]

No. Your driving privs were revoked in WV as a result of the DUI. You never did the course that you were obligated to reinstate there. You knew you needed to take the course but you blew it off.

Now you probably lied on your Ohio drivers license (they ask if you are suspended elsewhere) and the fact that the states had lousy computer systems let you get away with it. Computers networks have gotten better and hardly a week goes by in the last year where someone's old suspension/revocation/FTA/unpaid tickets doesn't pop up to haunt them even though they are now in a different state.

Hope you didn't lie about your criminal history on your green card application. The INS has computers now too.

 

[Dougthegreat]

Is there any way I can get out of this 72 hour course? It seems a bit ridiculous, to say the least- or should I bite the bullett?

You're right! It's absolutely ridiculous - ridiculous that you didn't take it back then, and ridiculous that WV didn't tack on additional charges over the last 14 years when you failed to serve the terms of your punishment.

You got off easy - probably because you got a DUI in the "Moonshine State"

 

[FlyingRon]

You're right! It's absolutely ridiculous - ridiculous that you didn't take it back then, and ridiculous that WV didn't tack on additional charges over the last 14 years when you failed to serve the terms of your punishment.

No additional charges...it's not a condition of his conviction, but rather a precursor to getting his WV driving privs back. If he never wanted to drive again he didn't need to bother.

 

[Alex23]

Good thing this story isn't about a 14 year old repeat DUI offender.