An expungement
is the legal process by which a record of a criminal conviction is sealed. Obtaining
an expungement is very important because it makes prior criminal convictions more
difficult for employers and others to detect.
Top Reasons To Get
Your Criminal Record Expunged:
1. Getting a
Job
Finding a job
is hard enough without having to deal with the added pressure of a prior
criminal conviction lurking over your head. After your prior criminal record is
expunged, the likelihood of an employer finding out is drastically reduced or
eliminated completely, depending on the job you are applying for.
2. Peace of
Mind
Being convicted
of a crime is a life-changing experience that hangs over your head long after
you’ve served your time and repaid your debt to society. Consequently, you never
feel like you can start fresh because your prior conviction is a constant
reminder of the past. Obtaining an expungement will help you feel truly free to
move forward and start fresh.
3. Getting a
Loan
This may come
as a surprise, but a prior criminal conviction will most likely be viewed
adversely by a financial institution. Often, banks evaluating your credit
worthiness will view a prior criminal conviction as a sign that you will be
unable to repay a loan timely. As a result, they may use information of a prior
criminal conviction to disqualify your loan application.
4. Adoption
Starting a
family is a common desire, and if you have a prior criminal conviction and want
to adopt a child, your chances of doing so may be lessened by the presence of a
prior criminal conviction. That's why getting your record expunged is so
important. Fifteen states have made it illegal for any person with a prior
criminal conviction to adopt a child. However, obtaining an expungement could
increase your chances of adopting a child as long as your prior criminal conviction
did not involve a child.
5. Relationships
Finding that
special person to share your life with is a wonderful experience, but a prior
criminal conviction could put your relationship in jeopardy. We live in a tech
savvy world where gaining access to personal information is often just a click
away. Criminal convictions are public record which means that anyone can easily
discover that you have a prior criminal history. Often, a cautious girlfriend
or boyfriend is willing to pay a nominal fee to obtain a background check. That
is why getting an expungement is crucial to ensure your former misdeeds don’t
jeopardize your current relationship.
6. It's
relatively Easy and Inexpensive
In most instances,
a prior criminal conviction or arrest can be expunged as long as you have
completed your sentence, probation or parole and paid all of your fines.
Compared to the cost of losing a good paying job, not receiving a necessary
loan or losing out on a relationship with someone special, an expungement is
very inexpensive.