Make 2020 the Year of Improvement By Cleaning Up Your Criminal Record

Are you tired of being subjected to the consequences of having an arrest or criminal record from your past? Are you ready for better job opportunities, better housing, and more confidence in the dating world? If so, make this year the year of change, and finally do something about it with the help of Indiana’s Second Chance Law. Continue reading to learn what you need to know about criminal record expungement and sealing, including how to learn if you qualify and where to get started on your petition.

Criminal Record Expungement Attorney
Criminal Record Expungement Attorney 317-636-7514

Indiana Criminal Record Expungement

A couple of years ago, Indiana legislature passed a new law that allows certain individuals to conceal their criminal records from the general public, known as criminal record expungement and sealing. Although not everyone qualifies for criminal record expungement, this new law truly gives people another chance at making their lives better since their criminal record won’t hold them back from dating, better jobs, promotions, renting a nicer home, getting approved for a loan, and much more.

Once expunged or sealed, the public can no longer access your criminal record. It will be hidden from public view, including potential employers, rental companies, banks, school admission offices, and even the girl you are about to ask out for dinner. The only authorities that can still access expunged and sealed records is the government, including law enforcement, courts, and jails.

Record Expungement v. Record Sealing

There are two types of Second Chance Laws: expungement and sealing. For those who do not qualify for expungement, they may have a shot at being approved for record sealing. You see, those only qualify for criminal record expungement under very strict list of factors. There are several variables that determine who is eligible to get their record expunged in Indiana. Upon qualification, most misdemeanors, class D felonies, arrest records, and even infractions like traffic tickets and evictions, can all potentially be eliminated from a person’s personal record.

If a person was arrested and found guilty, or pleaded guilty, to a charge, then they can only apply to seal their criminal records. This means these records will not be physically destroyed and will still be accessible by the police, federal government, FBI, immigration, and all other public officials. However, when criminal records are sealed, they are no longer visible on public background check databases or accessible by employers, landlords, and other general public.

A person can only expunge arrest records that never ended in a conviction. This means arrests that were later dropped, acquitted, or dismissed can be completely expunged from physical and online databases. Although government officials and police can still access these records, just as they can sealed records, the general public cannot ever see them, and a person can legally claim to never have been arrested. See our blog, “FAQs About Sealing and Expunging Criminal Records” to learn more about the difference between the two.

It’s a Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

When someone wants to explore their options for criminal record expungement, it is important to first and fully understand that a person can only apply and be granted expungement one time in their entire lives. This means you cannot apply to have additional criminal and arrest records expunged after already having your records concealed in the past.

If you decide to pursue criminal record concealment, be sure that all your paperwork, filing, deadlines, and additional requirements are accurate and in-line. Failing to file even one document, or filing it incorrectly, can instantly eliminate your chances of expunging your criminal history, forever. This is why it is vital to enlist the services of a licensed attorney, familiar with your state’s new expungement laws, to facilitate the entire process to ensure that everything is done properly.

How to Get Started on Your Petition

Call 317-636-7514 to learn your eligibility for criminal record expungement in Indiana. We are eager to help you get the fresh start in life that you deserve! Our services start as low as $850, so you can afford to clean up your record just as much as the next guy. Call 317-636-7514 to schedule a consultation, today.