How To Expunge Your Criminal Record
Having a criminal record can have detrimental affects in both your personal and professional life....
Read MorePosted by | Mar 31, 2018 | How-To's
Having a criminal record can have detrimental affects in both your personal and professional life....
Read MoreHaving a criminal record can have detrimental affects in both your personal and professional life. A felony or misdemeanor can disqualify you from many jobs, interfere with your ability to get a loan, a driver’s license, and even lower your credit score. If this sounds like you, it might be time to consider getting your criminal record expunged. All states have a legal process for expungement, but most cannot begin until after a set number of years following your conviction. This article will focus specifically on the expungement process in Minnesota. Consult with an attorney in your city to find out more information about the expungement process in your state.
Expungement Law in Minnesota
In certain cases, the state of Minnesota will allow a person’s past criminal convictions to be expunged, or wiped clean from their record. Following the legal process, a conviction is marked as ‘Dismissed’ and then sent to the Department of Justice, who then must process the information regarding the case and decide whether or not expungement is justified.
Benefits of Expungement
Cases that Qualify for Expungement
In general, cases that qualify for expungement in Minnesota include felonies that resulted in jail time and/or probation, misdemeanors, and/or infractions not involving motor vehicles. If you have been placed on probation, consult with your expungement lawyer about petitioning the court to end your probation early so that you may apply for expungement.
More serious cases like sex offenses and alcohol-related felonies and offenses are automatically disqualified for expungement. Consequences involving immigration that resulted in a criminal conviction are also unable to be expunged from your record. Expungement does not apply to your record with the Department of Motor Vehicles, so offenses like DUIs can never be removed from your record.
Getting Started
There are a number of legal documents that are required to begin the expungement process. These documents must be filed with the court, and copies must also be provided to the prosecutor, so it is best to hire an attorney to assist you with the process. Attorneys are also knowledgeable about the court and the expungement process, and will be better able to ensure your case is being handled properly and efficiently. Once everything has been filed completely and accurately, your record will be wiped clean and your expungement complete.