How to Get a Better Job as a Past Offender in Indiana

For most things in the life, the past is the past, and you should move on from it. After all, some say holding onto shame or grudges is like poison for your mind. But when it comes to criminal records, this ideology is not as simple. Criminal history is a permanent record that follows you all throughout your life. Even juvenile records are permanent. As a past offender in Indiana, you likely already know that your career opportunities are limited, and your criminal history has held you back from achieving your professional goals or obtaining a higher income. Well, the good news is that there might be a way for you to clean up your criminal history, and finally get a better job for your future and your family. We are talking about criminal record expungement, also known as Indiana’s 2nd Chance law.

Continue below to learn about Indiana’s Second Chance Law, and how it can help you improve your quality of life, professionally and beyond.

Indianapolis, Indiana Criminal Record Expungement Attorney 317-636-7514
Indianapolis, Indiana Criminal Record Expungement Attorney 317-636-7514

Indiana’s Second Chance Law

Here in Indiana, July 11th, 2014 was an important day for all Hoosiers who had criminal arrests and convictions on their permanent records. That is because Indiana legislature passed the Second Chance Law, which allows those who qualify to seal or remove criminal arrests and convictions from their criminal records. Upon approval, a person’s conviction or arrest is no longer accessible by the general public ever again, including employers.

How a Cleaner Record Can Get You a Better Job

Did you know that virtually 96% of all Indiana employers perform at least one type of background check? In fact, most employers use multiple types of background checks to educate themselves about their potential hire, including credit history scans, education verification, past employment verification, reference checks, social security trace, drug tests, sex offender registry checks, driving record scans, and nowadays, social media and internet checks.

But of all the possible background checks and scans employers can choose from to perform on potential hires, a criminal history check is always one of them. If you are equally qualified with another possible hire, but your criminal record shows an arrest or conviction in your past and the other hire has a clean record, you will likely be passed up on the job. In other cases, some corporate business models will not allow an employer to hire someone with a criminal record, even if they wanted to.

If your criminal record in Indiana were wiped clean of your past convictions and/or arrests, you could experience a whole other set of doors opening up for you in terms of a new career or better-paying job position. You can open yourself up to more promotions, professional licenses, and much more. A cleaner record will most certainly place you in front of a long list of applicants for any job you interview for.

Where to Get Help With Your Indiana Criminal Record Expungement Petition

You cannot just download an application and request that your criminal record is sealed or expunged. The criminal record expungement petitioning process is very serious and complex, so it requires the assistance of a well-versed Indiana criminal defense lawyer. Just one filling error, such as a missed spelled word, can get your petition denied. And the rule is, you can only apply once in your lifetime. So, you do not want to mess up your application, nor miss an important filing deadline. It is not free to expunge criminal records in Indiana, so be prepared to pay for filing and court fees, as well as lawyer fees.

Indianapolis Indiana Criminal Record Expungement as Low as $850

Call our Indianapolis expungement lawyers at 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. Contact us to get started, and do so soon, before this unpopular law is repealed!

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

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.