Expungement, Purdue, Student

Expunge a Grand Prix Arrest Before You Leave Purdue

It’s Grand Prix week at Purdue, and with it comes the possibility for hundreds of alcohol-related arrests in West Lafayette. If you are a student preparing for finals, summer internships, or graduation, the last thing you want to worry about is an arrest impacting your future. With the help of an attorney, a one-time mistake can be off your record as soon as possible.

What Happens After Being Arrested or Given a Summons?

For some low-level crimes, such as minor consumption or using a fake ID, police have the option of arresting the person or issuing a summons to appear in court.

While a summons does give you a break by avoiding a trip to jail, it’s a common misconception that receiving a summons is somehow better or “just a drinking ticket”. In either event, drinking or possessing alcohol underage is a criminal offense.

If this is your first arrest, an experienced West Lafayette attorney may be able to negotiate for a diversion agreement. This is an agreement with the prosecutor whereby you could avoid a conviction if you comply with certain terms. Diversion agreements could include alcohol/drug counseling, community service, or restitution. However, a criminal attorney may be able to negotiate the removal of these requirements. Upon successful completion of a Diversion Agreement, the charges can be dismissed.

If Charges Are Dismissed, My Record Is Automatically Expunged, Right?

Wrong. Getting charges dismissed is an important step to clearing your record, but it’s not the final step.

When charges are dismissed, your arrest and case records are still available, viewable, and searchable by the general public. When future employers search your name on the online court records database, they will see your charges, the chronological case summary, and the fact that you entered into a diversion agreement. They will also see that charges were dismissed because you completed the terms of the diversion agreement.

Along with the rest of your case details, here is an example of how the case outcome would appear online:

Expunge All Record of Your Indiana Case by Petitioning for Expungement

To clear all records of your dismissed case, you must petition for expungement under Section 1 of Indiana’s expungement law. This is the only way to keep your case from popping up when employers search your name on Indiana’s court records database.

If you are arrested during Purdue’s Grand Prix Week, call Gibson Law Office. If you are charged with a misdemeanor, our attorneys can appear for you at Court. And, once your case is resolved, we can expunge your criminal records on the earliest possible date. Don’t leave campus without expunging your criminal record because a friend told you that a Diversion Agreement will not leave a public record behind. Nothing could be further from the truth.

If you’ve been arrested during Grand Prix week, call our experienced Lafayette criminal attorneys at 765-742-8440. We can meet with you (and your parents, if you prefer) either over the phone or in person at our Lafayette office, right across the street from the Tippecanoe County courthouse.