Computer-based record keeping and background searches make it very important to monitor the information public and private organizations collect about your life. That’s especially true if that information is part of a criminal record. It may be an old and misleading part of your past, but just its presence can make it difficult to get a new job, secure a loan or rent an apartment.
Your past doesn’t have to continue roadblocking your future. Under certain circumstances, Indiana allows the expungement or sealing of juvenile court and adult criminal law court records. At the Law Office of Weiss, Schmidgall and Hires, P.C., we know that your records don’t offer an accurate account of who you were then and especially not of who you are now. So it’s unfair that people use them to judge you. Our Merrillville attorneys can protect your future by getting your record expunged or sealed.
Because criminal records are kept as paper files and computer data, there are two main ways to prevent their information from becoming available.
The specific circumstances of your situation will determine which one may be available. Except for expungements in juvenile cases, which are discussed separately below, to qualify for an expungement or record sealing in Indiana the following must be true:
Arrest record seal-seals arrests when there is no conviction. The rules vary based on whether there was a conviction entered. But in either case, our Merrillville attorneys can help seal many records including:
We can try to get your record permanently sealed if you have a conviction entered against you.
Juvenile records are considered sensitive and are generally kept restricted, but in some cases it may be best to have the entire record cleared with an expungement. Indiana allows the juvenile court to expunge a record by weighing a set of factors that evaluate the offense, the person’s age at the time, their conduct during court-ordered services and what’s happened in their life since. Our Merrillville lawyers know how to make an effective argument in support of this petition. We know what the courts are looking for and we help present the merits of your case.
At the Law Office of Weiss, Schmidgall and Hires, P.C., we’re committed to helping good people recover from a difficult past. Our office is located where 73rd Avenue and Broadway meet. It’s just a few blocks north of the Merrillville police station and courthouse. Call 219-293-8988 or contact us online to schedule your appointment.