Finding a job and buying a house are difficult enough in this market. If you have a criminal record, you may find it almost impossible to get settled in Colorado. Here’s our simple guide to record sealing and expungement in Weld, Logan, and Morgan County.
Expungement of Juvenile Convictions / Adjudications in Colorado
First, you must understand that juveniles aren’t convicted of crimes, they are adjudicated. Typically, juvenile criminal records can be expunged if the adjudication was not for a serious sexual offense. Children who have been adjudicated just need to wait until a certain amount of time has passed, such as the end of their probation, deferred judgment, or deferred adjudication. The length of time is different, depending on what the child was adjudicated for. Generally, however – the wait time is short when a child ends supervision under a deferred adjudication, while the wait time is longer if it is a more serious adjudication.
Adult Convictions in County and District Cases
Colorado law permits the sealing of criminal records if they did not result in a permanent convictions (there are some exceptions, such as some drug possession offenses). To put this simply, if all your charges were dismissed, then you will be able to seal your case. This usually occurs when a person is arrested, but no charges are filed, when a case is dismissed, or when the trial results in an acquittal. If you were charged with multiple offenses, but are only convicted of one offense, the entire record is not sealable.
Adult Petty and Municipal Misdemeanor Convictions
Late last year there was a law change which permits the sealing of municipal convictions, like those in Greeley, Erie, and Evans. This is an enormous change – as we said above, usually convictions are not able to be sealed. If you have a municipal misdemeanor or petty conviction, you are now able to seal your record after a three-year time period following the end of your case (e.g. after your probation ends). This means those little mistakes, such as Disorderly Conduct or Shoplifting won’t hinder you for the rest of your life.
Our Criminal Defense Lawyers Offer a Free Record Sealing Consultation
If you have questions about sealing (adults) or expunging (juvenile) your record, don’t hesitate to contact one of our experienced criminal defense attorneys. We have over 20 years of experience helping good people just like you get a fresh start by sealing their records. Come in for a free record sealing consultation, and we’ll discuss your case.
If you or a loved one is looking to seal or expunge their record, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O’Malley Law Office for a free consultation at 970-616-6009, or submit the “Get Help Now” form.
Together, we can protect your future.
Image Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net – Tuomas_Lehtinen