The client carried a Class 1 Misdemeanor DUI conviction from 2020 out of Scottsdale City Court. Future First filed an application to seal the case records under ARS § 13-911 and the court granted it.
At a glance
| Original conviction | DUI Impaired (ARS § 28-1381(A)(1)), Class 1 Misdemeanor, 2020 |
| Application filed | Sealing Records Application under ARS § 13-911, 2025 |
| Court | Scottsdale City Court |
| Result | Sealing Record Granted |
| Rights restored | N/A (misdemeanor conviction, no civil or gun rights lost) |
| Time from application to grant | 71 days from application filing to granted |
The challenge
Even after a set aside, a Class 1 Misdemeanor DUI conviction stays visible on most background checks as “set aside.” Employers, landlords, and licensing boards still see the underlying charge and the disposition. Sealing the record under ARS § 13-911 closes the door on that visibility for the public, employers, and most non-law-enforcement databases.
The client wanted the record sealed alongside the set aside. The conviction was from 2020, the sentence had been completed, all fines were paid, and the statutory waiting period under ARS § 13-911(E) had run. The case was eligible. The work was getting the application filed correctly and the court to grant it.
What we did
Future First filed the application to seal the criminal case records in Scottsdale City Court the same day as the Set Aside Application. The filing tracked every element ARS § 13-911 requires: the conviction was eligible under the statute, the timeframes under § 13-911(E) had passed, the client had no disqualifying subsequent convictions, all monetary obligations had been satisfied, and granting the application served the client’s interests and the public’s safety.
The prosecutor received the application and did not respond. The court reviewed the Department of Public Safety report under ARS § 13-911(H), confirmed every statutory finding, and granted the application. The order sealed all records relating to the arrest, conviction, and sentence for the offense, and directed the court to transmit a copy to the Department of Public Safety and the prosecutor.
From filing to grant: 71 days. The client now answers questions about criminal history under the protections ARS § 13-911 provides: for most non-law-enforcement purposes, the sealed case did not happen.
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If you have an old DUI conviction in Arizona
Sealing a record under ARS § 13-911 is the most complete form of record removal available in Arizona. Once sealed, the case is treated as if it did not occur for most purposes outside of law enforcement and a narrow list of statutory exceptions. Background check companies, landlords, and most employers no longer see the conviction.
For a Class 1 Misdemeanor DUI, sealing eligibility opens three years after completion of all court-ordered non-financial terms, including any counseling. MVD-ordered actions (license suspension, IID requirements) do not count toward that wait, only judge-ordered conditions of the sentence.
Sealing typically follows a set aside in a logical sequence. The set aside vacates the judgment. The sealing closes the file. Filed together, the work can be done in a single court cycle if the timing is right.
Related resources
Call us
Want to seal an old Arizona DUI? 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.
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