Warning: An Expunged Criminal Record is NOT Destroyed

If you are considering moving forward with an expungement petition in Indiana, you are likely on your way to a promising future full of better opportunities. However, it is important that you fully understand what criminal record expungement is, what it does, and its various limitations, before you begin. Fundamentally, you need to recognize that an expunged record is not destroyed or eliminated from your permanent criminal history; instead, it is simply unattainable by the general public.

Continue reading to learn who can still access expungement criminal records and who cannot, as well as, how to get started on the right tract with your petition.

Criminal Record Expungement Services
Criminal Record Expungement Services 317-636-7514

Criminal Record Expungement Process

Basically, criminal record expungement involves attending court with the intention of asking the judge to remove certain records that resulted from a past criminal court case so they are not visible to the general public. The process requires extensive filing and paperwork, all of which is very complicated. For this reason, most applicants hire a licensed criminal defense attorney who specializes in the service. You only get once chance to apply, and a minor error like a misspelled work or missed deadline can revoke your right to petition, forever.

Who is the “General Public?”

When a person has a criminal record, such records are available to the general public, either through paid background checks or free public scans, depending on how detailed of a report the user wants. So who makes up the general public? Well, the general public would include anyone who has access to a computer. Common parties that use background checks and scans include employers, schools, banks, rental companies, landlords, airlines, friends, family, and even potential dates or parents of your potential date.

Who Can Still Access Expunged Records?

Although a criminal record is expunged, it still exists. It is not a pardon, nor a repealed conviction. Instead, an expunged record is withdrawn from public databases, but not private ones. Private authorities who will still have access include law enforcement and certain governmental parties, including the police, courts, FBI, immigration officers, and other public officials. On the other hand, these authorities only access such records in very specific situations.

Read our blog, “FAQs About Sealing and Expunging Criminal Records” to learn all the basics to the process of criminal record expungement. This will get you ready to start working on your petition!

How to Get Started on Your Petition

Call Attorney David E. Lewis at 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.

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

How to Get Started With Criminal Record Expungement in Indiana

The new state criminal record expungement law, also known as the Indiana Second Chance Law, officially took effect on July 1st of 2013.  Since then, thousands of Hoosiers have taken advantage of the opportunity, and as a result, opened more doors for employment, housing, loans, school, and more. If you have a past criminal record, whether from your juvenile years or as an adult, you may be eligible to have these records sealed from public access.

Not only will private parties be prohibited from viewing your criminal records, public parties like employers, banks, landlords, and more will also be blocked from such information. Furthermore, with expunged records, you can honestly and legally answer “no” when potential employers ask you if you have ever been convicted of or arrested for a crime. Continue reading to learn more about getting started on a criminal record expungement application.

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

If your petition is granted, criminal records are removed from court files, police records, Department of Correction files, drivers’ license branch files, substance abuse counselor records, and more. Also, it will be illegal for any institution or employer to suspend expel, refuse employment, refuse admittance, deny permits or licenses for occupational or professional activity, or discriminate in any way. Furthermore, certain rights are restored, such as the right to vote, hold public office, and own or possess a firearm (unless otherwise prohibited by law).

Act Fast Before the Law is Appealed

Although this law has been around for a few years now, it is still not a popular one among certain lobbyist parties. This means it may not be around much longer; so act fast and see if you qualify for Indiana criminal record expungement. Here is exactly how to get started on your petition:

Step ❶ – Contact a Licensed Criminal Defense Lawyer Who Specializes in Expungement

Step ❷– Determine Your Eligibility for Criminal Record Expungement

Step ❸ – File Your Petition With Your Lawyer’s Assistance

Step ❹– Enjoy Your New Life as a Record-Free Hoosier!

Where to Get Expungement Help in Indianapolis?

Call The Law Firm of Attorney David E. Lewis at 317-636-7514 to get started on the Indiana criminal record expungement application process. We offer professional criminal record expungement services starting as low as $850! As a seasoned criminal defense law firm, we are well-versed in the Indiana expungement laws, and know exactly how to file and obtain a legal expungement, successfully. Call our office at 317-636-7514 and schedule a free initial consultation to determine your eligibility, today.

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

Do Not Miss Your Chance to Clean Up Your Criminal Record This Year!

The new Indiana Second Chance law surrounding criminal record expungement is not so “new” anymore. And many powerful heads have not been very happy with the law being in effect. These factors, combined with various others to lengthy to mention, are the reasons why this year is the right year to get started on cleaning up your record.

We just don’t know if or when this law will be repealed, and your chances at a better quality of life are gone forever. And for this reason, 2019 is your time to make a change and take advantage of this criminal record sealing law. Scroll down to learn more.

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

Why You Need to Act in 2019

As mentioned, when the new Indiana Second Chance laws came into effect, there were (and still are) several large groups and organizations against them. Since the induction of the Indiana Second Chance laws, there have been many attempts to have the laws repealed. There is a very good chance that this law does not make it to 2020. This circumstance makes it risky to wait on getting started on your expungement or record sealing process. Best of all, if you get started on your criminal record expungement or sealing petition now, you can be free of the stress of having a public criminal record by the end of the year!

Benefits of a Clean Criminal Record

Numerous benefits come with expunging a criminal record in Indiana. Once a person has hired our seasoned attorneys to get their criminal records removed, they can expect certain rights to be restored to them; as well as, employment benefits, personal achievement, emotional reward, and much more. This new law will open up job opportunities and get more people back to work, repair driving records, eliminate the potential for lost job opportunities, let people feel better about themselves and their past, avoid public embarrassment, and so much more.

What You Need to Know

Before you can reap the numerous benefits of criminal record expungement and sealing, you must be eligible first. There are several variables that determine who qualifies to get their record expunged in Indiana. Misdemeanors, class D felonies, arrest records, and more can all potentially be eliminated from a person’s criminal history. The first prerequisite for expungement eligibility is the type of conviction or charge a person was sentenced with; meaning either a misdemeanor, felony dropped to a misdemeanor, or felony.

The second factor is time. Depending on the charge, there are rules on how many years a person must wait to expunge their record. For details on the legalities surrounding criminal expungement in Indiana, you must contact a licensed Indianapolis criminal defense law firm that is well-versed and experienced in the new Indiana Second Chance Laws.

Where to Get Started

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

Call 317-636-7514 if you have a criminal record in Indiana that you would like to clean up this year. Our law firm is well-versed in the Indiana criminal record expungement laws, and charges as low as $850 for our services. Whether you are looking to seal or expunge a criminal record, we are the criminal lawyers to trust for a hassle-free petitioning process. Call 317-636-7514 to learn more, today.

Employee Discrimination Has its Consequences for Employers

A new law, appropriately termed the “Second Chance” law, was passed last year to allow people with past criminal convictions or arrests to conceal their records from public access through a process called criminal record expungement. This act, ACT No. 1482, was signed by Governor Mike Pence in July, and remains an active statute in Indiana, for now.

This laws applies to all Indiana-based employers and employers who hire individuals in the state of Indiana. Ex-offenders can request to have their past criminal activities sealed and expunged if they qualify. If a person qualifies to have their records expunged, employers will not be able to view past criminal histories on background checks, screens, and scans. This opens doors for past offenders that would not otherwise be available to them, such as buying a home, applying for a job, and much more.

Employee Rights

Anyone who applies for a job, or a promoted position in a company they already work for, cannot be denied employment solely for an arrest or conviction that has been expunged under law. This is unlawful of an employer to do, and they can be subjected to several penalties if reported or caught. Such violations are categorized as Class C infractions and can result in a contempt order by the courts, or even injunctive relief.

An employer can, however, ask an applicant if they have ever been arrested or convicted of a crime that has not been legally expunged. This will let the employer know if the job applicant is a habitual offender or criminal. They cannot, however, inquire about expunged records, nor ask directly if the employee has ever had a conviction or arrest expunged. Again, these are legal infractions that have major consequences.

So how do employers meet the standard of care in hiring suitable and safe employees if they might not be able to see all of a person’s criminal history? The answer is not so simple. If something were to happen, and an employer is confronted for negligent hiring, they can submit the individual’s order of expungement as evidence in support of their innocence. Also, extreme and serious crimes cannot be expunged, so employers never have to feat that they may be hiring an ex-murderer, sex offender, or rapist.

Expungement in Indiana

Call Expunge Criminal Record Indiana at 317-636-7514 for more information about criminal record expungement in Indiana. We are licensed attorneys with decades of trial and litigation experience, and now, we are extensively well-versed in the new Indiana expungement laws and processes. We can represent you on your journey to concealing past criminal arrest records, starting today! Call 317-636-7514 and schedule a consultation for criminal record expungement in Indianapolis, IN today.

Indiana Criminal Record Expungement Facts and Fiction

There is a new law in Indiana that allows qualified individuals to conceal their past arrest and criminal records from the public, and it has many people talking. With all the facts and fiction being spread regarding this new law, it is important to distinguish what is actually true and which rumors are false. Continue reading for accurate answers to the most common criminal record expungement questions in Indiana, as well as, what you may hear but shouldn’t believe.

Criminal Record Expungement is the Legal Concealment of Past Convictions, Arrests, and Charges. TRUE!

Under the new Indiana law, expunged criminal records are concealed from the general public, and only made available under limited circumstances. Once expunged, they can only be released by court orders or made accessible to law enforcement that is acting on official duty.

Potential Employers Cannot Find Expunged Records While Performing a Standard Employee Background Check. TRUE!

Records that have been expunged cannot be accessed by any individual performing or running a background check. They are concealed from employers, banks, leasing offices, and more. It is illegal to discriminate against any person for a conviction, arrest, or charge that has been expunged. This means an employer cannot fire or choose to not hire an individual based on a criminal charge that was expunged.

Anyone Can Qualify for Criminal Record Expungement. FALSE!

Individuals must qualify for criminal record expungement by meeting certain requirements and criteria. Depending on the crime, charge, or conviction, individuals must wait at least 5 years before applying to have their records expunged. And that’s just for misdemeanors and minor charges. For more serious convictions, more time is required to pass before a person can qualify. It can be as high as 10 years or more before someone with a felony charge or conviction can expunge their records. And many will never qualify at all based on other requirements. Consult an Indianapolis expungement lawyer for more details about qualification requirements.

Minors Can Expunge Criminal Records. FALSE!

Individuals with convictions, arrests, or charges from when they were a minor can have their records expunged if they meet all other criteria; however, an individual under the age of 18 must wait until they are a legal adult before they can qualify for expungement. So, juvenile criminal records can be expunged, but a person must be at least 18 years of age before filing for expungement.

Individuals Can Only File for Expungement Once in their Lifetime. TRUE!

A person may only file a petition to have their criminal histories expunged one time and one time only. If they make one filing error or mistake, they lose their chance to expunge their criminal records. This is why it is vital to hire a lawyer for accurate filing and processing.

Indianapolis Expungement Lawyers

Call 317-636-7514 for details about filing for criminal record expungement in Indiana. We are well-versed in the new Indiana record expungement laws, and can discuss your eligibility to expunge your criminal records. Call 317-636-7514 and schedule a consultation to discuss criminal record expungement in Indiana, today.