Expungment Lawyer Chicago

 Posted on October 14, 2013 in chicago

Experienced Illinois Expungement Attorney

The negative consequences of an arrest and prosecution can last far beyond the conclusion of your case. Even if you are never charged, an arrest can have a serious negative impact on your life including interfering with employment, housing and education opportunities. Anyone can do a background check on you and discover your criminal record. At the The Law Offices of Matthew R. Gebhardt, P.C., we help individuals avoid these negative consequences by expunging their criminal record.

Expungement Laws in Illinois

Expungement effectively wipes your criminal record clean. An expungement order mandates that law enforcement records and court records pertaining to the arrest in question should be removed. Once your record is expunged, you no longer have to worry that it will appear on any background check.

Expungement laws vary from state to state. In Illinois, you may only have your criminal record expunged if:

-You are arrested but never charged

-The charges against you are dropped or dismissed

-You are found “Not guilty” of a crime

-You are sentenced to court supervision for a misdemeanor and successfully completed the terms of your court supervision

-You were sentenced on certain felony cases to “410” or TASC probation

-Your conviction is overturned on appeal

-You are pardoned

Depending on the charge, there may be a two or five-year waiting period before the record can be expunged, and you cannot be arrested during that period and remain eligible. Most Felony charges and DUI convictions cannot be expunged. Attorney Matthew R. Gebhardt is familiar with all expungement laws in Illinois. He can help you determine if you are eligible for expungement and guide you through the process. If you are not eligible for expungement, we may still be able to help you seal your criminal record to prevent it from appearing on consumer background checks.

We offer free consultations on all expungement issues.