Do You Need to Have Your Criminal Record Expunged?
As criminal defense lawyers, we see many people who have made a mistake in the past. They serve their time and are attempting to move on with their lives. Unfortunately, a criminal conviction, even a misdemeanor, can follow you for the rest of your life. It may not seem worth the time and money it takes to hire a criminal defense lawyer and have your record expunged but here are five reasons you may want to reconsider.
1. Getting A Job:
On most job applications, there is a section that asks if you have ever been convicted of a crime. If you have a criminal record you must make the decisions to answer the decision truthfully and not get the job or to lie and be in violation of the law again and risk not getting the job because of your dishonesty. If you have your record expunged, you can answer that question with a truthful no.
2. Getting a Loan:
Loan agencies sometimes feel that a criminal conviction is an indication of someone who is less likely to meet their financial obligations. That means you may be facing higher interest rates or be unable to get a loan at all. You could have difficulty buying a car, a home, or paying for an education. Combine that with difficulty getting a job and you could be in a very tough situation.
3. Adoption:
Are you considering adopting a child? If you are or think you may want to in the future, you may want to look into getting your record expunged. In some states, it is currently illegal for someone with a criminal record to adopt children. You should be aware that in most cases, criminal convictions involving offenses against minors cannot be expunged, so if you have been involved in a crime involving children or a sex crime, you will almost certainly never be able to adopt a child.
4. Peace of Mind:
There are many reasons why expunging your criminal record is definitely to your advantage. However, the most important one might be your own peace of mind. While you have that blemish on your record, it’s hard to feel truly free. You may worry about your past coming back to haunt you. When your record is clear you have a clean slate and you can feel like a contributing member of society. You are just as entitled to the rights and privileges of a citizen as anyone else around you. Even if you’ve taken your punishment for your offense, it’s sometimes hard to feel like it’s completely behind you while your criminal record still exists.
If these seem like good reasons to have your criminal record expunged, give the criminal defense lawyers at Clekis Law Firm a call.