The New Indiana Second Chance Law allows those with past criminal records to seal such records from the public. This means better opportunities for employment, housing, education, and overall quality of life. However, there are several rules and restrictions to this new law, making it a risky endeavor to attempt alone. You need a professional Indianapolis criminal defense lawyer who is well versed in the expungement laws to help you with the process, from start to finish.
Continue reading to learn what you need to know about sealing criminal records, including what can and cannot be expunged.
Arrest Records
In Indiana, arrest records can be expunged so long as no conviction resulted, you do not have a suspended driver’s license, and it has been at least one year since the date of the arrest. How could this be beneficial to someone? A college student looking to apply to graduate school has a public nuisance arrest on their record from freshman year, but they were never convicted. They could have this record expunged so that the dean and application counsels do not see it and use it against them.
Misdemeanor Convictions
If you were convicted of a Class A through Class C misdemeanor, you may or may not be eligible for expungement. It depends on a long list of factors, including the nature of the offense and the amount of time that has passed since the conviction. In Indiana, you must wait 5 years since the date of the conviction before petitioning the court for expunction.
Felony Convictions
If you were convicted of a Class D felony that was reduced to a misdemeanor, you would need to adhere to the same prerequisites as a misdemeanor conviction, as mentioned above. Most non-violent felonies, you must wait at least 8 years since the date of the conviction, plus meet all the other requirements, such as no pending charges, valid drivers’ license, and more.
What CANNOT Be Expunged
Expungement is not available to everyone. Those who are not eligible include sex offenders, violent offenders, and anyone convicted of official misconduct.
Where to Start Your Expungement Petition
Call 317-636-7514 if you want to expunge a criminal record in Indiana. 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.