The client carried a 2016 multi-count Class 1 Misdemeanor DUI case out of El Centro Justice Court, including a Slightest Degree DUI, a BAC .08 or More DUI, and an Extreme DUI count. Future First filed for sealing under ARS § 13-911 in 2024 and the court granted the sealing application in 2025, sealing all records relating to the case.
At a glance
| Original conviction | DUI Impaired (ARS § 28-1381(A)(1)), Class 1 Misdemeanor; DUI BAC .08 or More (ARS § 28-1381(A)(2)), Class 1 Misdemeanor; Extreme DUI BAC .15 to .20 (ARS § 28-1382(A)(1)), Class 1 Misdemeanor, 2016 |
| Application filed | Application to Seal Criminal Case Records, ARS § 13-911, 2024 |
| Court | El Centro Justice Court |
| Result | Sealing Record Granted. All records relating to the arrest, the charging documents, and the case file sealed. |
| Rights restored | N/A (misdemeanor; no civil or firearm rights lost). Records sealed under ARS § 13-911. |
| Time from application to grant | 282 days from application filing to granted |
The challenge
A multi-count Class 1 Misdemeanor DUI case in Arizona, especially one that includes an Extreme DUI count, sits on a record forever unless cleared through sealing. Employers screening on statewide criminal history searches stop reading after the word DUI. The Extreme tier carries extra weight in licensing and insurance reviews. Background services that aggregate court records keep the entry visible long after sentence completion.
The client had completed every term of the sentence years before the application. Jail served. MADD VIP completed. IID period served. Counseling completed. Every monetary obligation paid. The case still followed the client into every background check.
What we did
Future First filed an Application to Seal Criminal Case Records under ARS § 13-911 in El Centro Justice Court. The application packaged the underlying court file, the sentencing order, proof of full sentence completion, IID compliance proof, and the statutory factors the court weighs under § 13-911.
Sealing math on a non-Extreme DUI runs three years from counseling completion. Sealing math on an Extreme DUI runs three years from the judge’s twelve-month IID end. Future First tracked the operative completion dates against the statutory wait, confirmed the wait had run, and presented the application for ruling once timing was clear.
The judge signed the order sealing all records relating to the arrest, the charging documents, and the case file. The Clerk of the Court sealed the records and transmitted the order to the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the prosecutor.
What our clients say
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If you have an old DUI conviction in Arizona
A Class 1 Misdemeanor DUI conviction is eligible for sealing under ARS § 13-911 once the applicant has completed every term of the sentence and the statutory waiting period has run from judge-ordered non-financial completion. The wait period is three years for a non-Extreme DUI measured from counseling completion. The wait period is three years for an Extreme DUI measured from the end of the judge-ordered twelve-month IID. MVD-ordered IID, license actions, and traffic school do not count toward the wait.
ARS § 13-911 lets the judge seal the arrest record, the charging documents, and the case file. The order does not erase the case from the world. It removes the case from public-facing background databases, employer screening services, and landlord checks. Department of Transportation actions tied to the original DUI remain on the driving record.
Multi-count DUI cases get sealed as a single matter under the case number. The statutory wait runs on the highest-tier count.
Related resources
Call us
Want to clear your record in Arizona? Call Future First Criminal Law at 602-900-7625 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.
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