Underage Drinking Ruin My Chances?

Can somebody verify something for me? I thought juvenile records were sealed from background searches. This may be why Jan is not having a problem with this issue. I'd like to know about this just for future advice we can share here that might be helpful to some others in a similar situation.

Can somebody verify something for me? I thought juvenile records were sealed from background searches. This may be why Jan is not having a problem with this issue. I'd like to know about this just for future advice we can share here that might be helpful to some others in a similar situation.

I believe that it depends on the offense and in this circumstance, it's dealing with a suspended license. The suspended license is public record. I believe that's the sticking point.

Good point Kerry. The suspension is something that will be found, and it sounds as if Jan is handling this the best way she can.

Can somebody verify something for me? I thought juvenile records were sealed from background searches. This may be why Jan is not having a problem with this issue. I'd like to know about this just for future advice we can share here that might be helpful to some others in a similar situation.

I'm not sure if it's universal, but here in Ohio, Tom's cousin had to pay an attorney to have her daughter's record sealed for underage drinking. She 'did' have other charges in addition to, though:

Underage Drinking Ohio Laws

Better to disclose, and err on the side of caution, anymore . . . IMHO.

~ Anne ~

Good point Kerry. The suspension is something that will be found, and it sounds as if Jan is handling this the best way she can.

Yes I think the suspension is why it shows up because I cannot even look up my docket number on the PA courts website. I assume it's because my juvenile record isn't public. I also found out that there's a difference between a criminal record and a police record and I forget which one is visible. Ive found 2 speeding tickets (from 5 and 1 years ago) but not my underage drinking. Somehow Uber dug it up so it's available in some fashion. No job has ever brought it up before, but I've never had a driving job.

I'm going to submit a motion for expungement just because it's free for juvenile offenses and I'd rather take advantage of that instead of wait for other companies to see that my license got suspended. Apparently, they stopped doing that in 2018. Go figure 😅

Expungements only apply to state & local jurisdictions. Federal records are never expunged (at least that's what I was told). Trucking companies, being federally regulated, will have access to those records. You mentioned a speeding 1 yr old speeding ticket. Hopefully you've made Wilson aware of that. They may have an issue with it depending on how much over the limit you were going.

Hey Old School!!! I had a few underage drinking charges 25+ years ago as a teen that resulted in license suspensions. They do show up on my MVR because the license was suspended as a penalty even though I had not yet taken my permit or driving exam. They also show up on a background check as a summary offense, including the under 18 ones.

In PA an underage drinking charge carries a 3 month suspension for 1st offense, 1 year for 2nd, 2 years for 3rd and every other after.

Expungements only apply to state & local jurisdictions. Federal records are never expunged (at least that's what I was told). Trucking companies, being federally regulated, will have access to those records. You mentioned a speeding 1 yr old speeding ticket. Hopefully you've made Wilson aware of that. They may have an issue with it depending on how much over the limit you were going.

Having federal jurisdiction does not mean that the convictions fall under federal law. Only violations of federal law that lead to convictions would be applicable to what you are stating. Basically, what you are proposing is called reverse engineering.

But, as I already stated, trucking companies have the means to access expunged records when doing their digging.

Good point Kerry. The suspension is something that will be found, and it sounds as if Jan is handling this the best way she can.

Yes I think the suspension is why it shows up because I cannot even look up my docket number on the PA courts website. I assume it's because my juvenile record isn't public. I also found out that there's a difference between a criminal record and a police record and I forget which one is visible. Ive found 2 speeding tickets (from 5 and 1 years ago) but not my underage drinking. Somehow Uber dug it up so it's available in some fashion. No job has ever brought it up before, but I've never had a driving job.

I'm going to submit a motion for expungement just because it's free for juvenile offenses and I'd rather take advantage of that instead of wait for other companies to see that my license got suspended. Apparently, they stopped doing that in 2018. Go figure 😅

Just remember, there is a question on almost all trucking company applications, namely:

"Has your license ever been suspended, revoked, or denied?" If you don't answer yes and provide the details, it will lead to being denied employment when they pull it up on your MVR. You might get by not disclosing the underage drinking, but you will never get by not disclosing the suspended license. Well, once the suspension is more than 5 years old it will no longer be something that shows up because companies don't go back that far on MVR.

~Kerry

Well, once the suspension is more than 5 years old it will no longer be something that shows up because companies don't go back that far on MVR.

When I pulled my own MVR from the state it was the same price for 5 yrs, 10yrs or lifetime so I pulled the lifetime. Thats how I know the underage drinking suspensions are on there.

Then… Found out they show up as summary offenses on the background check when I applied to drive for Doordash and Uber eats.

Luckily they are so old that they shouldn’t prevent me from being hired. Currently waiting to hear back from ABF Freight, recruiters and HR already reviewed and approved my application. I’m in the potential interview phase waiting for hiring managers decision. I applied for their driver development program