This is the second post in my series on the sealing or expunging of your Illinois criminal record. My last post provided an overview of topics I will be discussing and stressed the need to have an attorney assist you with your application. Retaining a lawyer can help to ensure that your Petition is handled properly which, in turn, can improve the chances of it being granted. In this article I will be discussing the effect of expunging or sealing your record as well as how such actions impact potential employment. Contact my office today to speak with a criminal records lawyer if you have questions. My office is able to handle such matters for as low as $499 plus court costs.
Expungement will erase an Illinois criminal record and will mostly make it as if the arrest never occurred
The expungement of an Illinois criminal record means that it will be completely erased from state agency databases. Since no state agency will have a record of the offense, it will not show up on a background check. This means that when applying for employment, housing, or other matters which require a background check one can fill out the application without worrying about the incident being discovered by the person running the check. Also, it is against the law in Illinois for an employer or potential employer to ask you if you have had a record expunged (or sealed for that matter). The only employers who would be able to ask whether you have had a record expunged are given explicit permission to do so under the law.
It must be understood that a record may only be expunged under specific circumstances. I will elaborate on these circumstances further in my next article. If you do not meet the criteria for expunging your criminal history then you may still be eligible to seal it. It is best to speak with a lawyer to determine whether you are eligible for an expungement.
Peoria, Illinois residents can improve their chances of passing a background check by sealing their criminal history
Sealing a criminal record is different from expungement in that the record is not erased from agency databases. The records of your arrest and conviction, however, would be made unavailable to most of the general public and many potential employers would not be able to uncover the record in a background check. So, in short, the answer is “yes” when one asks “does sealing my criminal record help to get a job?” Sealing your history can also assist with the obtaining of certain professional licenses.
Contact my office today to speak with a Peoria record sealing attorney. I handle many such matters and am familiar with our local court system. I also service the cities of Bloomington, Eureka, Galesburg, Morton, Normal, Pekin, Springfield, and Washington. I also serve the counties of Fulton, Knox, LaSalle, Marshall, Mason, McLean, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Tazewell, and Woodford. I also handle federal cases in Urbana.