Cleaning Up Your Act!

If you’re one of many millions of Americans with a criminal record, you’ve likely experienced a few hardships as a result.

There are countless difficulties that can arise if your background isn’t spotless, and most people affected have yet to realize the scale of these disabilities.

So what’s the solution for people with a criminal offense on their records? You can’t lie on a form and say you haven’t been convicted of a crime when you have, that would be a crime unto itself. However, if you tell the truth, there’s a good chance you will be disqualified for the position!

According to www.cleanupmyrecord.com there may be one more alternative: making an application for expungement of your criminal record.

Expunging your criminal record means petitioning a judge to make your criminal conviction disappear. The level of expungement may differ from state to state. North Carolina limits most of the expungements granted to people who had their charges dismissed and were found not guilty in the case. This information is located in chapter 15A of North Carolina law.

You can also qualify for expungement if you were a victim of identity theft where the criminal had used your name; if you are 18 years of age or older wanting to expunge your minor juvenile records; if you were a first-time offender under 22 years old, and you were charged with a minor drug offense such as possession of marijuana. Also, no previous felonies can exist on your record, except charges that you have in a 12-month period, which the state counts as one charge.

What you have to do is prepare an expunction AOC-CR-237 form; check with your court records, and be certain to check the box indicating the statute(s) that apply in your case, and fill it out completely.

After that you should go to the office of the county clerk of court where you were charged. Ask the clerk to have a judge sign the right bottom corner of AOC-CR-237 located on first page. Moreover, you should ask the clerk to forward the AOC-CR-237 document to the SBI, which is part of the Expungement Unit.

Make certain to keep a copy of the records for yourself. If you are uncertain of the law your expungement falls under, inquire with the clerk of court to permit you to glance through the North Carolina Law & Procedure Book; the pertinent laws are listed on the order so you can decide which one applies to you.

Once they get your information, North Carolina SBI will check your record, then they will send your petition to the administrative officer of the court. The judge in the county that is concerned with your case will look over the information sent by the SBI and the administrative officer prior to either allowing or dismissing your expungement.

If your petition for expungement is allowed, the clerk of court will erase your criminal record from the files, certify the order, and will then send it to the police force that arrested you. That agency will also erase the files and will attach a final disposition report. After that, the report will go to the SBI, which will apply it to the state and federal files.

Sometimes the courts may not grant you an expungement. As an alternative, apply for a pardon through the governor. A successful pardon will restore all of your civil liberties right back to you, even though the record of conviction will still be there.

Convictions may simply be sealed so that only certain government officials can access the records. Others may be dismissed entirely, or have the record expunged. In these last two cases, it is as if the offense never happened.

Expungement can relieve the burden and restore hope that has faded with the “life sentence” that can come with mistakes made long ago.

The amount of time between when you start filling out the forms and when your record is finally expunged will vary and be at least several months, but when your record is clear, it is clear forever — assuming you commit no additional offenses.

So, what are you waiting for?