As of 2013, Indiana began allowing people with certain types of criminal history to have those records sealed, effectively erasing them from anyone’s view. This law, known in Indiana as the second chance law, was further expanded in 2016. An Expungement Attorney in Bedford can help individuals who are interested in this possibility.
Eligibility Factors
The option is restricted to nonviolent offenses classified as misdemeanors or low-level felonies. Certain higher-level offenses may be eligible for expungement if the prosecuting attorney is willing to cooperate. A shoplifting misdemeanor conviction should be eligible, for example. Someone who was convicted of grand theft may be eligible, depending on the details. The person requesting this service must have maintained a clean record since the conviction.
An Expungement Attorney in Bedford also can help people who were charged and arrested for a crime, but not convicted. Even when a case is dismissed, or the charges dropped, it’s possible for others to see the arrest information as part of public record. Expungement eliminates these details from view.
Long-Term Consequences
Without this service, a person who has been convicted of a crime in the past may have trouble acquiring a new job, renting a different apartment or being granted shared custody of his or her children. Buying a gun is not allowed for people convicted of a felony.
Imagine what a relief it is to realize that a background check will no longer turn up any sign of a criminal record. It’s as though the incident never occurred. The person truly is able to start fresh after paying the debt to society.
Reasons to Hire an Attorney
Forms requesting expungement are available online, but it’s crucial that they be filled out accurately. This is one reason that people generally hire an attorney with an organization such as The Koch Law Firm for assistance. In addition, professional legal representatives are better equipped to persuade the prosecuting attorney and a judge that the client deserves this second chance. Anyone who wants to know more about expungement may get Free confidential case evaluation with a firm that can start working with the client quickly.
