Full question:
I have 3 citations on my criminal history report. Two for disorderly conduct (1 of which was dismissed)and 1 failure to report an accident. I plead guilty and only paid a fine. Do these count as convictions or simply charged, even though I never went to trial for any?
- Category: Criminal
- Date:
- State: Michigan
Answer:
Generally, a conviction occurs when a person is found guilty and sentenced for a criminal charge. This can happen without a trial, often through an informal hearing. In your case:
- The disorderly conduct citation that was dismissed means you were not found guilty, so it is not a conviction.
- For the disorderly conduct charge where you pleaded guilty and paid a fine, this is considered a conviction.
- The failure to report an accident, for which you also pleaded guilty, is likewise a conviction.
Charges that are dismissed do not count as convictions, but records of these charges may still exist. To verify the status of your cases, you may want to contact the clerk of courts where the charges were heard.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.