Can I Lose My California Professional License Based on a Driving Under the Influence Conviction?
Though common, California’s various licensing boards and agencies such as the CA Department of Consumer Affairs, the Board of Registered Nursing, the LVN Board, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the CA Medical Board, the CA Dental Board, the CA Board of Behavioral Sciences, the CA Department of Social Services, the CA Department of Insurance, the CA Bureau of Real Estate, the CA Veterinarian Board, the CA Chiropractors Board, etc… take DUI arrests and convictions extremely seriously.
CA Government Code section 480 allows professional licensing boards and agencies to deny a license based on a criminal conviction including, but not limited to, a DUI. CA Government Code section 490 allows CA licensing boards and agencies to suspend or even revoke a professional license based on a criminal conviction.
As such, if you are a licensed professional in CA and are arrested for driving under the influence or any other misdemeanor or felony crime, it is important that you contact a professional license defense attorney like Jonathan Turner right away. Mr. Turner specializes in defending nurses, doctors, dentists, teachers, chiropractors, pharmacists and other professionals who commit crimes.
Many licensing boards require that the licensee report any arrest to them within 30 days of its occurrence. Other CA licensing boards require self-reporting of criminal convictions only. All CA licensing boards entail applications and renewal applications that inquire into criminal convictions. Such an application generally requires disclosure of any DUI or other misdemeanor or felony conviction, even a “wet reckless” (CA Vehicle Code section 23103). Disclosure is required on such CA professional licensing applications even if you had the DUI or other such conviction set aside and dismissed (“expunged”) per CA Penal Code Section 1203.4.
Often when a licensee is arrested, the board’s enforcement unit and/or the CA Department of Consumer Affairs investigations unit will contact the licensee directly about the arrest and/or conviction. It is vital to have an administrative law attorney/professional license defense lawyer in your corner when such investigations and inquiries are conducted by the CA licensing boards and consumer affairs enforcement units and investigators.
In summary, CA doctors, nurses, teachers, brokers, agents, chiropractors, physical therapists, accountants, pharmacists and the like can be subjected to severe discipline (usually outlined in an Accusation or Statement of Issues) by their particular licensing board based on a simple DUI. As such, if you are a CA licensed professional and are arrested or convicted of driving under the influence, wet reckless or any other crime whether misdemeanor or felony, contact CA Professional License Defense Attorney Jonathan Turner for a consultation.
LEGAL TROUBLE WITH YOUR PROFESSIONAL LICENSING BOARD?
If you received a denial of a professional license or any threat to your ability to continue practicing your profession, please contact attorney Jonathan Turner using this contact form or call (916) 471-6506 for a personal conversation.