Expungement

Joliet, Illinois Expungement Lawyer

Illinois law allows for certain criminal records to be destroyed through the expungement process. When a record is expunged, it's as if the crime they pertain to never happened. Those with an expunged criminal record can legally answer "no" when asked if they have ever been arrested. Getting your record expunged or sealed (when a record is kept confidential instead of destroyed) can be beneficial to your future housing, schooling, and employment opportunities.

What Records Can Be Expunged in Illinois?

In most circumstances, your criminal record can be expunged in Illinois if:

• You were found not guilty or the state dismissed the charges against you.
• You were sentenced to supervision for a misdemeanor charge, it's been at least two years (sometimes five) since the supervision ended, and you haven't been arrested or charged with a crime since then.
• If you were released without being convicted following a supervision sentence (DUI charges and some sexual offenses excluded).
• You were adjudicated delinquent for a crime that would have been charged as a Class B or Class C misdemeanor or a petty offense, and you are now at least 18 years old.
• You were adjudicated delinquent for another crime (other than first degree murder or felony sex crimes), have had no criminal convictions since you turned 18, are at least 21 years of age now, and have had no juvenile court proceeding for the last five years.
• You were sentenced to 710, 1410, Section 10, Section 410, 40-10, or TASC Probation for a felony offense.

Although Illinois provides these expungement guidelines, there can be exceptions made based on the circumstances of your arrest and conviction. An experienced Will County, Illinois expungement lawyer can examine your specific case to determine the best way to go about getting your record expunged. If it is not possible to get your record expunged, a Joliet expungement attorney may be able to help you instead get your criminal record sealed.

How to Get a Record Expunged in Illinois

The first step in getting your Illinois criminal record expunged is to file a Petition to Expunge with the Clerk of Courts for the county where you were arrested. The paperwork and contents of the petition may vary depending on the circumstances of your arrests or convictions.  In most cases, you will need to provide the relevant dates, parties, and dispositions of your criminal charges.

A Joliet, Illinois Expungement Attorney Can Help Get Your Record Expunged

An experienced Will County expungement lawyer such as Eric J. Blatti can assist you in gathering this information and filing the expungement paperwork, ensuring that everything is done correctly and giving you the best chance of the court approving your record expungement. If your petition is not approved, you will certainly need the assistance of a top Joliet expungement lawyer, as your options will then be to petition the judge to reconsider or take your expungement case to the appropriate Illinois Appellate Court. Contact us today.