Arvada and Aurora Municipal Court Record Sealing Attorney
Colorado has recently passed a new record sealing law effective September, 2017, which permits a rapid and less expensive way to seal your municipal or city court criminal records. This law provides that in many situations, you can seal your court record immediately if your case was completely dismissed or you were acquitted at trial of all charges. Previously, you had to go to District Court, pay a filing fee of $256, and wait a few months for your hearing. The cost under the new law is a $65 filing fee. You will also get your jail and police records sealed under the same sealing case. There are many rules and exceptions to the new law, which your criminal defense attorney can explain.
New Municipal Court Sealing / Expungement of Criminal Record Law Exceptions
One big exception to this record sealing law is for cases involving violence, such as Assault or Sexual Assault. Other types of crimes fall under the exception. The exception is not terrible, since you can still seal your dismissed record. Under the exception, after filing your Motion or Petition to Seal, you must wait up to 42 days for the City Court Prosecutor to contact their case victim. They are expected to ask their victim (even one who may have turned out NOT to be a real victim – hence the case dismissal), what their position is on the sealing. This position will then be conveyed to the court. Even if the allged victim disagrees, the case can still be sealed.
Can Municipal Convictions be Sealed Under the New Law or Old Law?
While Municipal convictions cannot be sealed under this new law, they can still be sealed under the old, slower law. The old law provides that Municipal misdemeanor convictions, and state court petty crime convictions, can be sealed after a waiting period of 3 years. If you are ever convicted of another municipal or felony crime, your sealed Municipal misdemeanor case will be unsealed. There are other rules, such as you cannot be charged with a new crime since the conviction, you must first pay all court costs, fines and restitution, sealing the record does not vacate or undo the conviction, and you must pay a fee of around $200. Rules to Seal Municipal Court Convictions.
Call our Criminal Attorneys at 303-731-0719 today to see if your Municpal Court case can be sealed under the new law with no waiting period, or the short 42 day wait. We are here to help you restore your good name. Together, we can protect your future.