In Ohio, expungement and record sealing offers people with criminal records a chance for a fresh start. There are distinctive differences between records destruction, public access, and the process to obtain an expungement or record sealing – and at Graham Law, we’ve helped residents of Ohio since 1923 with valuable legal assistance in this area of law.
With an office in Zanesville and Cambridge, Ohio – we can help you no matter where you live in Southeastern or Central Ohio thanks to virtual technology. Contact our law firm if you need help with expungement and record sealing.
An Overview on Expungement in Ohio
Expungement is when you erase a criminal record from official databases. This also means your records are no longer accessible to the public, potential employers, landlords, and other licensing authorities.
However, it’s important to note that not all offenses allow for expungement. Expungements are typically eligible for misdemeanor offenses and certain felonies under certain situations. There is a prescribed waiting period after the case resolution and this waiting period can range between 1 to 3 years depending on the nature of the misdemeanor or felony. During the waiting period, you cannot be charged with any new criminal charges or convictions either in order to be eligible for an expungement.
If you need legal assistance with an expungement, our criminal defense attorneys can help file a petition for expungement with the sentencing court where the case was adjudicated. The court will hold a hearing to consider the petition as well as any objections from prosecutors. If successful, the court will grant an order requiring the destruction of the record. After this, you are no longer required to disclose your expunged record on applications or background checks. However, certain law enforcement, courts and specific government agencies may still have access to the expunged record for special purposes.
An Overview on Record Sealing in Ohio
The purpose of record sealing is to restrict public access to your criminal record. The record, however, does not become permanently destroyed as they do with expungements. Instead, the record just becomes confidential. There are certain situations that may impact your ability to secure record sealing such as being involved in another civil lawsuit that came from a criminal lawsuit. But like expungement, offenses eligible for expungement typically qualify for record sealing.
The process for applying for record sealing involves filing a petition with the court and attending a hearing, similar to how the process for expungement works. If successful, most public entities and individuals will no longer be able to access the sealed record except for law enforcement, courts and government agencies under some circumstances.
These types of cases can be very complex, and we recommend hiring a criminal defense attorney for legal assistance with record sealing.
Contact Graham Law for Legal Assistance With Expungements and Record Sealing
At Graham Law, we are proud of our deep-seeded roots in our local communities. We’re proud to serve the residents of Ohio with valuable legal assistance. Contact our law firm today if you require help from a criminal defense attorney for expungement and record sealing requests.
