How to Clear Your Criminal Record: Is it Possible?

May 20, 2022 Posted in Criminal Defense Law

It’s a scary thing to wonder if you’re going to have to deal with having a criminal record. Having one can affect your life in several different ways. For example, it could make it challenging to get a job or even find good housing. It could also prevent you from traveling to certain countries. But is there anything you can do?

Many people mistakenly believe that they cannot clear their records, but this isn’t necessarily accurate. There are many things you can do to clear your criminal record so that it won’t have such an oversized impact on your life. Read on for some helpful tips on how to clear your criminal history and move forward with your life.

Understanding Your Criminal Record

This record is a document or series of documents that contain all the details of someone’s criminal history. It includes arrests and convictions and any related information, such as the sentence served and time spent on parole. When it comes to clearing your records, there are two different steps you can take:

Clear your arrest record: If you were arrested but never convicted, there’s a way to clear this arrest from your record so that employers don’t see it. A criminal lawyer can assist you.

Clear your conviction: If you were convicted of a crime but have since been pardoned or had your conviction overturned, this option will ensure that prospective employers don’t still see it on your record – which means no questions about past crimes when you’re applying for jobs.

Find out how long your record lasts

Every state differs when a record can be used against you regarding certain things. For example, in New York State, the time limit ranges from 10 years to 24 years, depending on the crime. Every state is different, so it’s worth looking into your state’s timeframe for when convictions are cleared. While your record in Arizona will technically last your whole life, background checks in the state only review the last seven years.

Know how you can clear your records

There are a few ways that you can clear your records. Among the easiest methods is to take a plea deal on your case. A plea deal is when you plead guilty and get placed on probation or some other form of punishment, but it will not show up on your criminal history. Another way that you can clear your criminal history is through an expungement. An expungement means deleting any mention of the arrest from public documents, which would typically include police and court records and any word of the arrest in newspapers or other media outlets. However, expungement isn’t an option in Arizona. Instead, you will need to look into having your criminal record “set aside”. This is a complicated process, for which you will likely need assistance.

Whether you already have a criminal history or not, it can be helpful to know how to maintain or clear your criminal record. If you need to find a way to try to clear your criminal record, you should seek assistance from a criminal defense attorney or Arizona criminal attorney.