A security license or security clearance may be necessary for some types of jobs in Texas. The process to obtain this clearance is long and hard, and nobody wants to lose it once they have obtained it. However, a DWI conviction could place you at the risk of losing your security license.
DWI Conviction Raises a Security Concern
Your security license may or may not be affected after a DWI conviction, as this will depend on the unique facts and circumstances of your case. Most importantly, the defense strategy that your Texas DWI attorney is able to build will determine the final outcome of your case.
However, what you must understand is that a DWI conviction does raise security concerns. Irrespective of whether you are an intelligence official or a clerk in a sensitive job, a security concern overhang could jeopardize your job or career.
In these situations, an investigation is almost always conducted to determine whether you are a security risk. Therefore, you need support from an experienced Houston DWI attorney who will help you fight your DWI charge, which is critical to proving that you do not present a security risk. If you are able to effectively fight your DWI charge, it will go a long way in ensuring that your security license or clearance remains intact.
Adjudicative Guidelines and DWI
Security license or clearance is a privilege that usually makes you eligible to work with or access confidential information or be present around the area where this sensitive information is stored. The government grants this clearance after a detailed background check and other steps in order to make sure that you do not present a risk that could compromise the confidential information.
Among the adjudicative guidelines that the government follows while granting a security license or clearance, DWI is particularly considered. Whether you are applying or re-applying for the license, the government will assess whether your alcohol consumption results from “unreliability, questionable judgment, or failure to control your impulses.”
The guideline says that alcohol consumption is not a concern except when it leads to a situation where the risk of confidential information getting exposed due to carelessness increases. Therefore, while a DWI shows that you drink alcohol, to what extent it could interfere with your work can only be determined after considering the circumstances in their entirety.
A dedicated DWI attorney in Houston can build a strong defense for you based on the total circumstances surrounding your DWI.
How to Overcome DWI-Based Security Concerns?
If you have just been charged with DWI or convicted of DWI, all is not yet lost with regard to your security license. While a DWI questions your dependability in security matters, the adjudicative guidelines do offer hope. The law says that these guidelines must consider the person as a “whole”.
This means that a DWI does not automatically disqualify you in terms of security clearance unless it is established that your conduct reveals a consistent pattern of irresponsibility, questionable judgment, or emotional instability. Your Texas DWI attorney will use this subjective evaluation to prevent the cancellation or rejection of your security clearance.
Facing a DWI conviction in Texas? Choose the DWI defense team at Flood & Associates, who has the record for most wins and most not guilty verdicts of all defense attorneys for all criminal and DWI cases set for trial in Harris County in 2018. Call our team 24/7, 365 at (713) 224-5529 for a free case review or contact us online to request a free consultation with one of our attorneys.
