A background check revealed that you were convicted of DUI two years ago. A potential employer is now asking for a disposition date for the offense. What exactly is this?
With respect to a criminal case, the date of disposition refers to the date that a court made a final ruling on your case.
The legal definition of “disposition” is the final outcome of a criminal case.1 A few common dispositions in criminal cases are:
- guilty,
- not guilty, and
- dismissed.
A disposition will inform you as to a court’s final order or final ruling on a criminal charge. This can include either a:
- misdemeanor charge,
- felony charge, or
- a charge in a juvenile court or in juvenile proceedings.
1. What is a disposition date?
The criminal laws in most jurisdictions typically say that a date of disposition is the date when a judge or jury makes a final ruling on your criminal case.
Note that some jurisdictions may say that a set of criminal charges can have multiple disposition dates. For example, there may be a disposition date as to:
- how a court ruled on a particular pretrial motion, and
- how the court ruled during the case’s final criminal proceedings.
The date of disposition usually does not include the sentencing of a case. This means that sentencing hearings usually come after a date of disposition. Note that sentencing hearings are sometimes referred to as “disposition hearings.”2
Courts generally use disposition dates for record-keeping purposes. They can also be used for determining the deadline for filing an appeal.
2. What does disposition mean?
Disposition is a legal term that refers to the final outcome of the case. In the context of a criminal case, some common dispositions are:
- guilty – which means a judge or jury ruled that you committed a crime, or you entered a guilty plea to a criminal charge,
- found not guilty – which means a court acquitted you of a criminal offense,
- dismissed – which means that a prosecutor has dropped the criminal charges filed against you,
- vacated – which means the court will withdraw your guilty plea or set aside your guilty verdict,
- no charges filed – which means that a prosecutor has decided not to pursue criminal charges against you, and
- suspended sentence.
As to the latter, a suspended sentence usually takes place if a court awards you with probation. Here, a judge sets aside or delays your sentence until you successfully complete your probation.
The judge will then usually dismiss your sentence if you:
- complete all of the terms and conditions of your probation, and
- do not commit a probation violation or commit another offense.
The disposition of a case is often given on your criminal record/criminal history.
3. Can you get a copy of your disposition?
Yes. You should contact the specific court that handled your criminal case in order to:
- get a copy of your disposition, and
- learn of your disposition date.
You typically request a “certificate of the record,” which is a court document that certifies the disposition of your case.
4. What is a disposition date in a civil case?
In the context of civil litigation, the date of disposition is the date on which a judge or jury makes a final decision on a case.3
For example, in a personal injury case, a disposition can mean a decision as to whether a defendant is:
- liable, or
- not liable.
5. What about bankruptcy cases?
The date of disposition in a bankruptcy case is the date when a court rules on the final outcome of a case.
A few common dispositions in bankruptcy cases include:
- confirmed – which means the court has approved a reorganization plan,
- dismissed – which means the case has been dismissed from bankruptcy court, and
- converted – which means the case has been turned into a Chapter 7 proceeding.
Legal References:
- Black’s Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition – “Disposition.”
- Black’s Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition – “Disposition hearing.”
- Black’s Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition – “Disposition.”
