Have you recently been charged with a first time drink driving offence? Ordinarily, first-time drink driver offenders will receive fines. Adjourned undertakings, dismissals and discharges are not often seen for these matters, and community correction orders are rarely imposed for first-time offenders.
The Court usually considers recording a conviction against drink-drive offenders where the reading is particularly high, unless there are significant mitigating circumstances, whereas if you have a relatively low reading, an outcome without conviction is more likely.
The significance of getting a sentence without conviction has recently become more significant with the introduction of a ‘spent convictions scheme’ into Victoria. If the Magistrate imposes a sentence without conviction, it will not appear on your criminal record (with some exceptions, such as for searches by law enforcement), whereas a conviction will appear on your record for a period of 10 years, and be visible to employers and other persons conducting a criminal record check against you.