The client carried a 2013 Extreme DUI conviction out of Mesa. Future First applied to seal the records under ARS § 13-911 and the Mesa Municipal Court ordered all arrest, charging, and court records sealed.
At a glance
| Original conviction | Extreme DUI .15 Or Above (ARS § 28-1382(A)(1)), Class 1 Misdemeanor, 2013 |
| Application filed | Sealing Records under ARS § 13-911, 2025 |
| Court | Mesa Municipal Court |
| Result | Sealing Record Granted |
| Rights restored | N/A (misdemeanor conviction) |
| Time from application to grant | 62 days from application filing to granted |
The challenge
The client pled guilty to Extreme DUI .15 or above in 2013, a Class 1 Misdemeanor under ARS § 28-1382(A)(1). A set aside removes the judgment of guilt, but the public arrest record, the charging documents, and the court file all stay visible on background checks unless they are also sealed.
The client works with vulnerable populations and faces frequent background checks. He plans to pursue U.S. citizenship. Both paths run smoother when the file is sealed and the record stops surfacing on routine searches.
What we did
Future First filed an application to seal criminal case records under ARS § 13-911 in the Mesa Municipal Court. The application targeted the arrest record held by the Mesa Police Department, the charging documents held by the Mesa City Prosecutor’s Office, and the full court file under the underlying case number.
Future First documented the eligibility math: judgment of guilt in 2013, more than 10 years since completion, no subsequent felony or non-Title-28 misdemeanor convictions, and full payment of all monetary terms. Future First also paired this application with a set aside under ARS § 13-905, which the court granted along the way.
The Mesa Municipal Court found every statutory element met and ordered the records sealed. The application moved from filing to signed order in 62 days. The Mesa Municipal Court was directed to seal the file and transmit the order to the Department of Public Safety and the prosecutor.
What our clients say
Read verified reviews from past Future First clients on Google and on our on-site reviews page.
If you have an old conviction in Arizona
ARS § 13-911 lets you seal an Arizona criminal record once you hit the waiting period and meet the eligibility rules. For a non-extreme DUI the wait runs from completion of the judge-ordered terms. For Extreme DUI the wait runs three years from the end of the judge’s twelve-month IID. MVD-imposed actions on your license do not count toward the clock; only judge-ordered, non-financial completion does.
Sealing is a separate step from a set aside. A set aside removes the judgment of guilt. Sealing closes off public access to the file itself. Most employers and most background-check vendors will not see a sealed Arizona case. Filing both together is common and produces the strongest cleanup.
The Mesa Municipal Court generally rules on sealing applications within about 60 days, which matches the statutory notice window the prosecutor gets to respond. Other courts move at their own pace.
Related resources
Call us
Want to clear your record in Arizona? Call Future First Criminal Law at 602-900-6240 or request a free consultation. We have handled hundreds of Arizona record removal applications across every statute path. The cleanup is permanent and the process moves faster when handled by a firm that knows the local court.
Anonymized in line with firm policy. Client name not used. Specific dates approximated to year only. Outcome described reflects this client’s actual results. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results. For more detailed information on Arizona record removal law, visit the Arizona State Legislature website.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Life’s better with a clean record