Everyone makes mistakes, but some mistakes can be especially costly depending on your profession. Certain crimes, even minor convictions, could prevent you from working in fields such as law, health care and transportation.
If you have a professional license and face criminal charges, explore the potential legal consequences of a conviction, and plan your next steps.
Nursing
The Florida Board of Nursing requires nurses to self-report criminal convictions. If your conviction is substance use-related, you may qualify for the state’s Intervention Project for Nurses. Nurses who successfully complete addiction treatment through this program can often retain their licenses to practice after a period of supervision.
Law
If you practice law in Florida, you can receive disbarment for unethical behavior, which includes some types of criminal convictions. Specifically, the state bar can prevent you from practicing after conviction for theft, fraud or a crime of morality. In some cases, you can reapply for admission to The Florida Bar three years after a voluntary resignation or three years after disbarment.
Transportation
Individuals who drive for a living can lose their ability to do so after certain convictions. You risk your commercial driver’s license for at least a year if you receive a conviction for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, leaving an accident scene, or committing a felony with a motor vehicle. A second conviction for these offenses could result in the loss of your CDL for life.
If you work in one of these professions and fear the loss of your license, you may need to defend yourself to the licensure board as well as in court.
