What You Need to Know About Criminal Record Expungement

Criminal Defense Lawyer
Rispoli & Borneo P.C.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you have a criminal record, you know that it can affect nearly every area of your life. From getting a job to renting an apartment to purchasing a firearm, a criminal history can have lasting negative consequences. In the age of online background checks and fingerprint databases, it may seem impossible to shake off past mistakes. Fortunately, this is not true.

Your criminal defense lawyer from Tuttle Law P.A. will file all the necessary paperwork with the court system on your behalf. This paperwork includes petitions, motions, and declarations to get your case moving as soon as possible.

Criminal record expungement is the legal process where you can ask the court to seal or destroy all records related to your arrest and conviction. If successful, you will no longer be required to disclose your criminal history when applying for jobs or housing. You can even legally deny that you were ever arrested or convicted if asked about your criminal record. Not everyone is eligible for expungement, but if you are, the process could change your life.

What is Criminal Record Expungement?

An expungement is a process that allows you to petition the court to seal your criminal records from public view. This means that the public, including potential employers and landlords, will not be able to find out about your criminal history.

The expungement process varies by state. You can talk with a qualified criminal defense lawyer from Tuttle Law P.A. to learn more about how criminal record expungement works in your state.

In many cases, once a person’s record has been expunged, they do not have to reveal their previous convictions on employment documents or during background checks. This means that you would be able to truthfully state that your record is clean.

There are several different types of expungements, each with its own set of criteria. In some cases, people who have been convicted of multiple crimes may need to request more than one type of expungement in order to clear their entire record.

Who Is Eligible To Expunge Their Criminal Record?

Each state has its own eligibility requirements for sealing criminal records. Generally, there are two main requirements: you must finish serving any sentence associated with the conviction, and you must not have any new charges pending or convictions after the original conviction.

Criminal record expungement can be a complicated process, so you may want to hire an attorney to help. A criminal defense lawyer from Tuttle Law P.A. can help you file the paperwork and represent you in court.

When Expungement Helps

Expungement doesn’t happen automatically when you complete your sentence or pay a fine for a crime. To remove information from your public record, you have to go through the official expungement process.

Conviction might make it hard for you to move forward with your life as some public benefits and jobs may be at stake. To ensure nothing slows you down, consider expunging your criminal record by hiring a criminal defense lawyer from Tuttle Law P.A.

Do I Qualify For An Expungement?

The ability to expunge a criminal record is limited by both time and the nature of the charges involved. You must wait at three years after your case is over before applying for an expungement unless you were found not guilty or all charges against you were dropped. In those cases, there is no waiting period. It’s best that you hire a criminal defense lawyer from Tuttle Law P.A. who specializes in criminal defense law to help you navigate the process.