Did you know that you are legally allowed to try and sealed or expunged your criminal record/history? Am asking this question because it seems like a lot of people do know that this was even a possibility. So many people have just accepted their faith, accepted their history of legal issues. Fortunately, it seems like people have started to figure out that it is possible to expunge a criminal record. But, since all of this is still new to many of you, a lot of mistakes are made during the process.
Making those mistakes can lead to even more expenses, more time wasted and so many other problems. Even after going through all these issues, you end up with a criminal record that is still open.
However, there is no need to worry, if you read through this article, I am sure that you will manage to avoid all those common mistakes that people usually make. If you equip yourself with the right information, the right knowledge, you will ensure that this process will be finished properly and smoothly.
1. Trying to deal with this legal process alone
I understand that for some people a lawyer can seem like a very expensive investment. And it is, an attorney can be very expensive to hire no matter what you do or how much money you make. But, you simply have to understand that this is a necessity for this kind of legal process. Without a professional to help you, you will end up without any kind of positive results.
Of course, if you have some legal background and extensive knowledge on the subject, you could try and tackle the problem by yourself. But, for everyone else, I recommend hiring an attorney that will guide you and help you through this entire process of expunging your criminal record.
Remember, it is not just about the money that you are going to spend. The assistance from a lawyer will also help you speed up this process considerably. So, instead of being stuck in a loop for weeks or months, all of this can be finished in just a few days. Although, your experience may vary. It all depends on what kind of history you have.
2. Handling paperwork without legal help
A lawyer can offer different kinds of services. They can assist you in court, with documentation and other tasks that you might find complicated. Unfortunately, many people believe that they can deal with the documentation of this legal process by themselves. All you have to do is just pay certain fees and fill the right documents, right?
When you put it that way, guess, it is that simple. But, any kind of mistake or any misspellings could lead to problems in the future. After wasting so much money and time, you could still end up with an open criminal record that is not sealed or expunged.
To avoid any unnecessary expenses and wasting of time, I suggest that you leave all the documentation needs for your lawyer. They will ensure that everything is filled correctly without any misspellings or wrong answers.
If at any moment you feel like a lawyer is too expensive, just remember how beneficial it is to properly expunge your criminal record. Your chances to get a job without any kind of legal history that might haunt you for the rest of your life are increased considerably. There are also several other benefits of criminal record sealing that you can read more about it.
3. Quit during the middle of the process
At first, it might seem to you like expunging your criminal record is a simple and easy task. All you have to do is spend a certain amount of cash for a lawyer and everything will go smoothly. Well, it might be true for some people, but you might have a different experience. I believe that you should be prepared for anything because it all depends on several different factors.
Unfortunately, when certain people find out how difficult this process can be or start to lose hope that expunging their criminal record is impossible they just quit. I understand why people feel this way, I understand why they start to lose hope. The legal system tries to convince you that there is no escaping from your history.
However, that is not true. They just tried to prolong this expunging process as long as possible. I do not think that is a reason enough to give up hope. In those moments, you need to keep pushing to get it with your lawyer. With enough determination, I am sure that you will succeed.
After you succeed, you will find it will be able to enjoy life properly. You will not get denied from potential jobs just because of your bad history. You will get the same treatment as everyone else.
4. Trying to expunge a criminal record again
In almost every state and every country, it is impossible to seal or hide your legal past twice or multiple times. Once you already deal with this problem, there is no going back. If you still managed to rack up criminal activity on your report, there will be no way of hiding it.
The state or the court will go through an extensive background check to ensure that you have not sealed a record before. Because if you have, you will not get the same treatment as the first time. Your application will be ignored, no matter which lawyer you hire. No amount of money will be able to help you with this situation.
So, if you have finally cleared your name, I suggest that you be very careful in the future about your decisions. Every decision you make backed up legally. Anything illegal could lead to future problems and a criminal record that can never be sealed again.
I hope that this article has all the right information to help you avoid all those mistakes that are commonly made by people who are trying to expunge or seal their criminal records.
