Adult Arrest Records Expungement

Posted by on Feb 27, 2013 in Articles, Featured There are a few options you can take in Minnesota to expunge or seal your record. Minnesota allows you to expunge arrests as long as you were not convicted of the crime. An expungement is a necessity in your future because many organizations such as employers, landowners, and financial institutes all utilize background checks to see whether or not you have a prior criminal record. An expungement is a great investment because it completely removes the record from the public’s view. From our experience, most Minnesota expungements take about 6 months, with a few law firms claiming to do it faster, such as RecordGone’s Minnesota Expungement services. If you do utilize the services of a law firm to facilitate your expungement, make sure that there are no hidden fees and no additional charges. If there is a flat fee option, make sure to always take it, as it will protect you in the long run and prevent any unexpected fees in the future. Representing yourself in court is a high risk as there is usually only one chance to properly expunge your record. That is why we highly recommend finding an experienced law firm to represent you in court. In many cases you don’t even need to show up to court – you simply let your attorney represent you. This leaves you to continue on with your life and focus on your job, family, and friends. Also consider looking at Database Clearing or Update services. Some law firms offer a service where they notify online background record companies to remove mugshots and records off public websites. This way after your expungement, you can make sure to have your record clean from the public view.    ...
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Always find an Experienced Attorney for your Expungement

Posted by on Feb 26, 2013 in Articles, Featured Any licensed Minnesota expungement attorney can represent you in courst, but choosing a specialized expungement attorney increases your chances of a successful expungement. Specialized expungement attorneys have higher success rates and know the rules and procedures of Minnesota courts. The efficiency that comes with experience results in a quicker expungement at a far lower price than non-specialized expungement attorneys.   Criminal Record Expungement in Minnesota Facts Usually, people become interested in criminal expungement when they are denied a job, housing, or a professional license because of their criminal record. In Minnesota’s post 9/11 economy, more than 70 percent of employers conduct criminal background checks. Several government offices keep records of criminal cases; the court has records of all matters filed with the court, the police have a record of the arrest, and the prosecutors offices keep records, too. In addition, Minnesota criminal justice agencies are required to send records to the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) in St. Paul. The BCA records are searchable by the public for a small fee. With information so easily accessed by the public, expungement of felony and misdemeanor records is becoming increasingly important. Criminal Expungement requires going to court to ask a Judge to seal a criminal record. When a record is sealed, it does not show up in a criminal background check. It is important to remember that a sealed record is not destroyed. The police, immigration authorities, and other public officials may still see sealed court files for certain purposes. Types of Cases that Are Eligible for Expungement Even if you are found “not guilty” in a criminal case, you still have a criminal record. But, the laws of Minnesota permit expungement of a case if the outcome is “in your favor.” For example, if you are arrested and charged, but the prosecutor later decides to dismiss the case, you may ask for an expungement. If you never entered a guilty plea and you successfully completed a pre-trial diversion program you may also qualify for an expungement. A conviction (pleading guilty or being found guilty) is not an outcome “in your favor.” In some cases, an expungement is possible if you were convicted; an experienced attorney is almost always necessary to have a conviction expunged. Minnesota Domestic Violence Definition 518B.01 “Domestic abuse” means the following, if committed against a family or household member by a family or household member: (1)...
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