There are times when a conviction of drunk driving can follow a person for years. After working hard to fulfill the requirements of a DUI conviction and moving on, an Illinois school official has been asked to address a 2010 arrest for drunk driving.

After the 2010 misdemeanor DUI arrest resurfaced, school district employees demanded additional details. The man, who had served as the chief financial officer for a state school district, was found sleeping while parked in a median late at night, according to police officials. When officers rousted him, he was incoherent and disoriented.

After questioning, he admitted to having a handgun in his car, saying that he was unaware that Illinois law was different than that in his home state of Mississippi. The man also still had a Mississippi state driver's license, despite having lived in the state of Illinois for more than a year.

The man faced a variety of charges after the incident, including DUI, driving with a BAC over 0.08, improper lane use and parking illegally. After he pled guilty to the misdemeanor charge, the remaining citations were dismissed. The man was subject to police supervision until November 2011, and he was required to participate in alcohol assessment and treatment.

In this case, the defendant worked hard to ensure minimal legal impact on his future by employing a variety of strategies. First, he pled guilty to the charges, which allowed the prosecutors to show him relative leniency when considering the other minor infractions.

Next, he elected to attend classes and receive alcohol treatment, which demonstrated his commitment to overcoming his substance problems. He also retained a competent lawyer who correctly advised him, lessening the long-term effects of his legal challenges.

Fortunately, the defendant had the support of his employer, who attests that the alcohol case has not had an effect upon the employee's performance. Overall, the man has proven to be a positive member of the community who happened to make a poor decision several months ago. There are times when public figures need to address old charges, but in cases such as this one, a person can effectively explain the situation without jeopardizing his or her career or reputation.

Source: Rockford Register Star, "Rockford school official's DUI case addressed," Jeff Kolkey, Feb. 2, 2012