If you have been convicted of a serious crime, you may be worried about your future. Maybe you are unable to get a good job because of your reputation. Oftentimes, individuals who have been convicted of a crime are sent to jail and have marks on their records. If they try to get a job post-incarceration, employers will do a background check and discover the applicants past. Also, if you apply to rent an apartment, there is a change that your landlord will refuse when discovering that you have been convicted of a crime.
Thankfully, there are ways to improve your reputation and wipe crimes from your record after you have served your sentence. One of these ways is with an expungement. An expungement seals all arrest and conviction records. Once a crime has been expunged, it will not be exposed to potential employers or landlrods. Normally, expungement is reserved for misdemeanor offenses. Some states only allow people who have finished serving their sentences to apply for expungement, or sometimes infividuals must complete their probation.
It is normally easier for juveniles and those convicted of drug crimes to get an expungement. Drug offenders who participate in a diversion program may be able to avoid having the crime placed on their criminal record. The courts naturally want to give juveniles the ability to correct their behavior and to move on with their lives. In order to facilitate this, they often allow youth to get expungements without much resistance.
Some judges may allow a person to shorten his or her terms of probation so that the expungement can take place earlier in the process. Normally, expungement doesn't require an attorney. However, it can be helpful to have an attorney on your side for these situations. Expungement may seal your records, but it won't necessarily eliminate them. Licensing boards or police departments may still be able to determine that you have been convicted of a crime.
The most powerful form of expungement is a certificate of actual innocence. This is a certificate that makes it as if your criminal record never existed at all. Normally, this is reserved for those that weren't convicted, or that were falsely convicted of a crime.
Another form of record-changing post-conviction action is called a certificate of rehabilitation. A certificate of rehabilitation is like a document presenting you with freedom after conviction. Rehabilitation is available for some convicted individuals who have served their sentence and are now working to be integrated into society. If you can obtain a certificate of rehabilitation, it can help you to get a better job and possibly become a licensed professional. Sometimes, certificates of rehabilitation can end sex offender registration requirements as well.
Individuals must apply for this certificate, and if they are granted it they will be considered a law abiding citizen. You can't be denied a license, or can't be rejected as a witness if you have a certificate of rehabilitation. Essentially, a certificate of rehabilitation is a type of governor's pardon. In some cases, individuals can apply specifically for a governor's pardon.
This occurs when the governor of a state, such as California, approves a convicted felon or a currently accused defendant for pardon from his or her case. Only some states exercise the practice of governor's pardon, and often the government only takes on cases of public interest in this forum. If you want to remove a criminal conviction from your record, talk with a local criminal defense attorney. Use this directory to locate a trusted lawyer near you who can help you to improve your life after conviction.
