Douglas County Lawyers to Seal Arrest and Criminal Records
We often see people with criminal records limited by mistakes from their past in Douglas County, Castle Rock and Parker. This reveals itself when someone applies for a job or for housing. A criminal record comes up and the candidate is passed over. Fortunately, many criminal records can be sealed or expunged, and background checks will no longer see the prior conviction. Expungement and Sealing happens when a Colorado judge gives an order to make arrest records, police reports or any court records unavailable to the public. Read on, and learn whether your past can be cleared of a criminal conviction or record.
Felony Conviction Sealing and Expungement in Arapahoe County – These Stick the Most
Many felony drug possession offenses can be sealed or expunged today. Felony distribution or manufacturing of controlled substances convictions cannot be sealed. In Arapahoe County, there is a fairly complicated process for sealing a drug possession felony. It involves giving notice to all sides, paying a fee, and applying to the court. You must fit exactly into the sealing law, which is not easy. It is a fairly narrow window, designed to give persons convicted of drug possession a clean record. You can then apply for a job or apartment and have a much better chance of success.
Expunging and Sealing Misdemeanor Criminal Records in Jefferson County
In Lakewood, Littleton and other Jefferson County cities, it is possible to seal or expunge many criminal and arrest records. This is accomplished by filing a petition with the court. In municipal courts or city courts, most every conviction can be sealed after a waiting period of three years. County court drug possession conviction can be sealed in narrow circumstances. Juvenile records are expunged while adult records are sealed. Many juvenile records can be expunged quickly. Call your Jefferson County Criminal Defense lawyers to learn more.
Sealing a Criminal Record for Dismissal, Acquittal or Where Never Charged in Denver
In many cases, you may not have been permanently convicted of a crime. This happens when you successfully complete a deferred judgment and sentence or a deferred adjudication. In other cases, you may have been arrested, but never charged. In still more situations, you may have been charged, but at some point the case was dismissed before or during trial. Finally, you may have gone to trial and been found not guilty (also known as an acquittal). In each of these cases, you are eligible to have your criminal record sealed in Adams County and across Colorado. Record sealing is governed by a Colorado statute located at C.R.S. 24-72-308 and other laws.
How do You Get a Criminal Record in Adams County, Brighton and Thornton?
When a police officer or deputy sheriff arrests you by warrant or probable cause, they take you to the Adams County Jail. In the booking process, the jail staff takes your picture and fingerprints. Next, they will send them to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Then, CBI will send them to the FBI. The FBI manages the NCIC, which stands for the National Crime Information Center. This organization runs a nationwide criminal record database, where records compiled from all the states are stored and made available to law enforcement agencies nationwide. Only a record sealing can take your name out of this database.
Don’t be mistaken. Your criminal record is important. Important decisions are made by others based on what is in your record. You should never agree to a plea bargain offer until your attorney explains how it will affect your criminal record, sealing and expungement. Convictions can permanently harm the rest of your life, so be certain of what you are doing. Call our record sealing lawyers today at 303-731-0719. Together, we can protect your future.
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