It depends on what you were actually charged with and how the case is ultimately resolved.
Being handed a citation does not automatically mean you now have a misdemeanor conviction. The key questions are whether the citation alleges an infraction or a misdemeanor, what happens in court, and what final disposition is entered.
If you are cited for public urination, that means you have been accused of violating a law or local ordinance. It does not mean you have already been convicted.
A misdemeanor conviction can create a criminal-record issue. An infraction, dismissal, reduction or other disposition can have materially different consequences.
That is why the most important question is not simply, “Did I get a ticket?” It is: “What exactly is the charge, and how will the case be resolved?”
If the public urination allegation is prosecuted as a misdemeanor and results in a misdemeanor conviction, that can become part of your criminal history.
That matters more for someone who is concerned about employment, licensing, education, government work, security-sensitive positions or future background checks.
A non-traffic infraction is a lower-level offense. It does not carry the same consequences as a misdemeanor conviction, although the citation still must be addressed properly.
Because public urination is often charged under local ordinances, classification can differ from one city or jurisdiction to another.
A citation is a way of requiring you to respond to an allegation. The fact that an officer released you at the scene instead of taking you to jail does not by itself tell you whether the alleged offense is an infraction or a misdemeanor.
One of the first things I want to see is the citation itself.
Many citations identify whether the offense is being treated as a misdemeanor (“M”) or an infraction (“I”). The exact code section, issuing agency and court information also matter.
Do not rely only on what you remember the officer telling you at the scene. Look at what was actually written.
In this video I explain why a public urination citation should not automatically be treated like an ordinary traffic ticket and why the misdemeanor-versus-infraction distinction matters.
The bigger concern is often not the immediate fine. It is whether the final outcome creates a criminal conviction that may matter months or years later.
For many people, the long-term concern is not the citation itself. It is what a misdemeanor conviction may mean later when someone reviews their history.
Some employers conduct criminal background checks after a conditional job offer, subject to California law and other applicable rules.
Nurses, teachers, contractors and other licensed professionals may have disclosure or reporting concerns depending on the profession and disposition.
Colleges, graduate schools and professional programs can have separate conduct, disclosure or admissions rules.
Government, law-enforcement, security-sensitive and other regulated positions may involve more extensive background review than an ordinary commercial check.
There is no single universal background check.
A private employer's commercial background check, a professional licensing review, a government background investigation and a California DOJ Live Scan are different types of searches performed for different legal purposes.
What is reported can depend on the type of search, the case history, the final disposition and the laws governing the person or agency receiving the information.
Charged does not equal convicted.
A citation, court filing, dismissal, infraction disposition and misdemeanor conviction are not interchangeable events.
When protecting a clean record matters, the goal is to understand the final disposition before accepting a plea simply because the case appears minor.
California has restrictions on when many employers may ask about or consider criminal history. For example, California's Fair Chance Act generally limits when covered employers may inquire into criminal history and how that information may be considered.
There are exceptions, including certain jobs where background checks or criminal-history restrictions are required by law. That is one reason people in healthcare, education, banking, law enforcement and other regulated fields should look at their particular situation rather than assume every employment rule works the same way.
Official California Courts information: Criminal history and job applications →
A misdemeanor can matter disproportionately to someone who has spent years building a clean record.
A student may care about admissions, internships, professional programs, campus conduct rules or licensing in a future profession.
Someone early in a career may face years of job applications, credentialing and background checks after the case is over.
A person with a professional license may have separate reporting or disclosure rules depending on the board and profession.
This page is about criminal-record consequences. If your citation came from Downtown Fullerton and you want information about Fullerton enforcement, local procedure, evidence or actual Fullerton case outcomes, use the separate Fullerton guide.
Identify the code section, offense level, agency, court information and response date.
Take clear photos of the front and back of the citation and save every piece of paperwork.
A small case can become a larger problem if a required court appearance or deadline is ignored.
Before entering a plea, understand whether the proposed result creates a misdemeanor conviction.
If the case already resulted in a misdemeanor conviction, that does not necessarily mean there is nothing you can do.
Depending on the conviction and eligibility, California record-cleaning relief may be available.
A qualifying dismissal commonly called an “expungement” does not literally erase every historical record of the case, but it can change the disposition and may provide meaningful relief.
Current case:
Understand whether a misdemeanor conviction can be avoided before it occurs.
Old conviction:
Determine whether dismissal, reduction or other record-cleaning relief may now be available.
California Courts provides information about misdemeanor record-cleaning eligibility and dismissal procedures: California misdemeanor record cleaning →
If the case is genuinely an infraction and you understand the consequences, the expense of private counsel may not make sense for every person.
The first step is simply confirming what the citation actually is.
A misdemeanor deserves more attention when employment, school, professional licensing, government work or a clean criminal history matter to you.
At that point, the evidence, local practices, mitigation and criminal history can all become important.
It depends on the exact charge and how the case is resolved. A misdemeanor conviction can create a criminal record. An infraction, dismissal, reduction or other disposition can have different consequences.
No. A citation means you have been accused of an offense and are required to respond. Being cited or charged is not the same as being convicted.
Look at the citation for an “M” or “I” marking and identify the exact code or ordinance section. If the classification is unclear, the court record or citation should be reviewed.
Yes. The fact that an officer released you on a citation does not by itself establish that the offense is only an infraction.
A misdemeanor conviction may appear on criminal-history searches. What a particular employer, agency or licensing board receives depends on the type of background check, applicable law and the final disposition.
California DOJ Live Scan is different from a basic commercial employment background check. Government criminal-history information can contain more information depending on the authorized recipient and purpose of the check.
Potential reporting and licensing consequences vary by profession and licensing board. If you hold a professional license, it is worth understanding the final disposition before entering a plea.
Possibly. Schools and professional programs can have separate disclosure, disciplinary or admissions rules.
No. A straightforward public urination citation should not automatically be equated with indecent exposure or a registrable sex offense. The actual charge and alleged conduct matter.
Some qualifying California misdemeanor convictions may be eligible for dismissal or other record-cleaning relief. Eligibility depends on the case history and how the matter was resolved.
Before worrying about what may show up years from now, first determine what offense you were actually cited for and whether it is being treated as a misdemeanor or infraction.
Send me a clear photo of the citation and I can identify what I see before we talk about whether attorney involvement makes sense.
