The law allows attorneys to use DMV records in connection with arbitral, administrative, criminal, or civil proceedings in any local, state, or federal court. The Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994 prohibits instances where specific personal information from state motor vehicle records are released. However, 18 U.S. Code § (a) (4) empowers attorneys to use DMV records in investigations in anticipation of litigation. In other words, a lawyer can access a motorist’s DMV records when he or she is investigating a case involving a personal injury that resulted from an auto accident.
DMV records are admissible in court and can serve as strong evidence of a continued pattern of dangerous driving, negligence, and irresponsible behavior such as drunk driving.
DMV records show crucial details of a motorist’s driving history. Such information includes how many times he or she has been involved in an auto accident if the motorist went to driving school to improve his or her driving record, and how many times a driver received a ticket for a traffic violation. This information can be crucial to an attorney handling a negligence or personal injury case.