September 1, 2017
Records expungements can be extremely beneficial to criminal defendants on many different fronts. A complete records expungement means that a defendant’s criminal record is completely sealed or erased and is not ordinarily visible to the general public.
As a result, post-expungement, a criminal defendant will not ordinarily have to report a criminal conviction to a current or prospective educational institution or employer. In most cases, a criminal defendant will be able to answer honestly that he or she has no criminal record.
An experienced St. Petersburg expungement attorney will be able to review the individual circumstances of your case and may be able to file an expungement petition with the court on your behalf.
Sealing Criminal Records
In the State of Florida, a criminal arrest record may be sealed if all of the following requirements are met:
- The Court withheld the adjudication of guilt (i.e. found guilty but not convicted).
- The offense is not prohibited by Florida statute.
- The defendant has never been convicted of any other crime and has never had any other Florida arrest record sealed or expunged.
Benefits of Records Expungements
It goes without saying that criminal records expungements are virtually always a positive thing for criminal defendants. One of the most important benefits is that post-expungement, current and prospective employers and educational institutions will not be able to view a defendant’s criminal history. Since many employers and schools are routinely performing criminal background checks prior to making hiring and admissions decisions, a records expungement can help a defendant to obtain a desired employment position or school admission.
A prior criminal record can adversely affect living arrangements, as many landlords are hesitant to rent a room or apartment to someone with a criminal history. Even if a landlord is willing to rent to someone with a criminal record, the rent will almost certainly be higher than usual. A criminal records expungement eliminates this problem altogether.
Contact an Experienced St. Petersburg Expungement Attorney Today
Active criminal records can pose all sorts of problems for individuals throughout their lifetimes. A criminal records expungement, however, allows an individual to start anew, without the constant looming shadow of a criminal record.
If you have a criminal record that is ready to be expunged, you should contact the St. Petersburg expungement attorneys at Khonsari Law Group today at 727-269-5300, or contact us online for a free initial consultation.