No, no, no. There were two records - 1) the police arrest record, and 2) the court record. I assume you've watched enough TV to know that people get arrested and brought down to the station without being charged - the lawyer is always showing up and saying, "if you aren't going to charge my client, let him go."
First, there was an arrest, and that generated a record in the police station. Second, there was a citation (charge), and that is a court record. The officer may write it up or a magistrate may write it up. Usually these days these are on NCR paper that makes multiple copies without using carbon paper - the accused gets a copy, the court gets a copy, and the police officer gets a copy.
When a court expunges a conviction, usually what happens is that the record is sealed, but not destroyed. The public can't get access to it anymore.
You are not obligated to tell anyone that you were convicted if the conviction is expunged. The legal effect is that it never happened. Similarly, if your conviction is reversed. Similarly, if the conviction was suspended for a time and then dismissed. No conviction. Get it?
I like the fact that Bush didn't mince words when confronted. A welcome contrast to Gore, "no controlling legal authority." And Clinton, "it depends on what the definition of 'is' is." And Connolly, the man who gave the info to the paper, "I am just doing my duty as a citizen." |
