Driver shocked by 2 DUIs on their record from before they had a license
Imagine you’re in court for something unrelated and someone pulls your record. Boom: two DUIs. Only problem? You hadn’t even learned how to drive yet. This Redditor’s story feels like something out of a Kafka novel. Only dumber.
When a DUI shows up before you ever drove
A Reddit user recently discovered two DUI charges on their record from when they were just 13 years old—years before they ever held a driver’s license. The revelation came during a routine background check, leaving them baffled and concerned. The returned to Reddit’s “Legal Advice” forum. Fellow Redditors chimed in with great pointers:
- “That hardly means it’s on your record. Run a criminal record check on yourself with the state police.”
- “Talk to the MN BCA. They are the repository for criminal history records in MN. Once that’s cleared up, then talk with Driver and Vehicle Services.”
- “You should be able to get a driving record or abstract from your licensing office. I’d look into that. Many states have a ‘not the same as’ letter.”
Clearing a phantom DUI from a driving record
To address such discrepancies, it’s crucial to contact the appropriate state agencies. In Minnesota, for instance, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) maintains criminal history records. If errors are found, they can guide individuals through the correction process. Additionally, obtaining a driving record or abstract from the state’s licensing office can provide clarity. If inaccuracies persist, legal counsel may be necessary to ensure records are amended appropriately.
The original Redditor took the commenters’ advice and later shared a happy update. “After some digging, I discovered that said DUIs (and license suspensions!) were attributed to a guy who lives in a different part of Minnesota and has the exact same name as me and someone inadvertently merged our records.”
From name mix-ups to database errors, bad data can follow you for years. And you may not know until someone slams the brakes on your plans. You can see the original Reddit post–and the resulting advice–embedded below:
Minnesota. I was just informed I have 2 DUIs on my record… from 2008 and 2004. I didn’t learn to drive til 2013.
byu/tinmanftw inlegaladvice
