Having a criminal record can impact your ability to gain employment, suitable housing, educational opportunities, and more. A mistake you made in your youth can influence your life years or even decades later. Some individuals have arrests on their record even though they were not actually convicted of the offense for which they were arrested. Fortunately, there may be a way to get your criminal record erased or “expunged” in Illinois. If you do not qualify for expungement, you may still qualify for record sealing.

Qualifying Criteria for Expunging a Criminal Record in Illinois

When a criminal record is expunged, the documentation of the arrest or charges is destroyed. The record will not show up on a background check. It is as if the charges never happened. Many people do not realize that even if they are acquitted of criminal charges or the case is dismissed, there is still a record of the arrest and charges. Fortunately, you may be able to file a petition with the court to have your record expunged. You may qualify for expungement if:

• Your case was dismissed or acquitted

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If you have a criminal record, or even a simple arrest, it may be holding you back from your life goals. You may be ineligible for a job that you would like or you may have been denied access to a rental or mortgage agreement. If you are having difficulties in everyday life due to what is being seen on your public criminal record, you may consider expunging or sealing your records.

Step by Step

The expunging and sealing laws were created in order to make clearing a record accessible to the public. Therefore, so long as you qualify based on the description previously discussed in part one of this series, and you follow the guidelines, you should not have many troubles in getting your case expunged. The steps are as follows:

• Fill Out the Forms: There are necessary forms for filling out and filing to start the process. Each county has their own set of forms, which can be either generic or specialized. The proper forms that must be completed are the ones that belong to the county in which the charges were created. These may be obtained from a lawyer or the circuit clerk.

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