Frequently Asked Questions
CRIMINAL
RECORDS – FAQ’S
Q: If my criminal court case was dismissed do I still have a
criminal record?
A: Yes. You have a public criminal record that says you were
charged with a crime and that your charge was later dismissed.
Q: If my arrest and conviction happened over 10 years ago doesn’t
the information drop off my record?
A: No. Just because a case is old does not mean the record is no
longer available to be viewed. Information never automatically “drops off”.
Court records are viewable unless they are sealed by law, or expunged.
Q: Can an expungment request be denied?
A: Yes. Each state sets its own standards. Some factors which may
contribute to a denial include: The wait time requirement has not been met,
there are pending criminal proceedings filed against the applicant, the type of
crime does not qualify for expungment, fines have not been paid.
Q: Will a criminal record automatically disqualify me from ever
getting a job?
A: No. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says
that a person cannot be denied employment based on a criminal record alone. An
employer must consider the nature and gravity of the offense, and the relevance
of the offense to the duties of the job being sought.
Q: How can I find out what will show up on my criminal record?
A: You can order a criminal
background report on yourself. Find out what potential employers or landlords
are able to find out about you.
DRUG – FAQ’S
Q:How long can drugs be detected in your system?
A: The answer varies with the type of drug used,
and the method of detection used. The table below shows drug detection times
for urine and oral tests.
Drug/Drug
Group |
Detection
Time/Urine Test |
Alcohol |
24
hours or less urine
24
hours or less oral |
Amphetamines |
2
to 3 days urine
1
to 2 days oral |
Barbiturates |
1
to 3 days urine
Not
detectable by oral |
Benzodiazepines |
1
to 14 days urine
Not
detectable by oral |
Cocaine |
2
to 3 days urine
12
hours to 1 day |
Marijuana
(THC) |
1
to 30 days urine
0
hours to 1 day |
MDMA-Ecstasy |
2
to 4 days urine
24
to 36 hours |
Methadone |
1
to 3 days urine
Not
detectable by oral |
Methamphetamines |
2
to 3 days urine
1
to 2 days oral |
Opiate |
1
to 3 days urine
12
to 36 hours |
Oxycodone |
1
to 3 days urine
24
to 36 hours |
Phencyclidine |
2
to 3 days urine
1
to 2 days oral |
Q:Are there any legal medications that can trigger a positive result?
A:Yes, many over the counter sinus and cold medications can cause a positive
result for methamphetamine. Some of the substances tested for are available
legally with a prescription.
Q:Will commonly used substances such as vitamins, aspirin, caffeine or
acetaminophen affect the results?
A:No. Our tests are drug and drug metabolite. These common substances are
chemically and structurally different after being metabolized by the body from
the drugs being tested for. Therefore under most circumstances they do not
interfere or compromise the test results.
Q:If a drug test is positive, can you determine how long ago the drug was taken
and over what period of time?
A:No. Drug testing can only detect whether or not a specific drug or drug
metabolite is present at the time the test is performed. While there are very
broad estimates as to how long a particular drug may have been in the system,
no fluid based drug test, regardless of method is intended to include a time
variable.
Q:Am I invading my child/teen’s privacy by drug testing them?
A: Absolutely not. Children are using drugs at earlier and earlier
ages as time goes on. Drug testing your child or teen has been a proven
preventative method, if not the best one, for keeping your child or teen drug
free. You have to think about their ultimate well being and disregard people who
say that drug testing is an invasion of your privacy, because it is not! In
Board of Education of Independent School District No. 92 of Pottawatomie
County, et al, Petitioners v. Lindsay Earls et al, the United States Court of
Appeals for the tenth circuit ruled that drug testing students for
extracurricular activities is in fact constitutional. The laws of our land
uphold drug testing, and opponents are likely drug users themselves who do not
want to be tested for obvious reasons. If you suspect that your child or teen
is using drugs, if you care about them, you will test them. Think of this not
as a legality issue, but an issue of being a good parent.