Our expungement lawyers can help you expunge or seal legal judgments anywhere in Illinois including Joilet.
We all make mistakes.
Mistakes with the law should be a life lesson not a life sentence.
Attorney Frank Andreano and his team of lawyers can represent you any Municipal or District Court in the Greater Chicago area including Joliet to expunge or seal eligible prior convictions.
AN ARREST in Illinois can impact the rest of your life. Not only does an arrest record impact employment opportunities, many people lose their right to possess a firearm or occupational license. As attorneys experienced in helping those looking for a fresh start, we are dedicated to helping you clean-up your record.
NOT ONLY DOES Illinois have new laws allowing for expungement of arrests and criminal convictions, a recent ruling from the Illinois Supreme Court allows for the restoration of gun and other civil rights. If you are looking for a fresh start please contact us for a free, no obligation consultation. Helping our clients win a fresh start is our passion.
Our lawyers are ready to help you create new beginnings and leave your Joliet, Illinois legal mistakes buried in the past in regard to:
Expunging or sealing a criminal record
Eviction record removal
Restoration of Gun Rights
Expunging or sealing a criminal record in Illinois
Restoration of Illinois Gun Rights
Illinois Eviction record removal
Expunging or sealing a criminal record in Joliet, Illinois
When you are arrested or charged with an offense, a criminal record is created, even if you are released without being charged or found not guilty. These criminal records can be viewed by the public, including potential employers.
You can hide some of these charges from being seen by the general public. This is called sealing. You might even be able to have these records destroyed. This is called expungement. Whether you qualify depends on a number of factors:
- What type of crime you were arrested or charged with,
- What happened in the case, and
- How long it’s been since it happened.
Expungement in Joliet, Illinois
Expungement remove arrests, court supervisions, and certain probations from your criminal record.
You cannot expunge convictions. A conviction is when you are found guilty and sentenced to:
- Fines for ordinance violations,
- Regular probation (other than “710,” “1410,” “TASC,” or other “qualified” probations),
- Time considered served,
- Jail or prison time,
- Conditional discharge, or
- Supervisions or qualified probations that are not successfully completed.
- However, you still may be eligible for a record sealing.
If your request for expungement is approved, the following happens:
- The arresting authority, State Police Department, and FBI remove your arrest record from their official files,
- The circuit clerk removes your name from the public record, and does not let anyone see it,
- Even though your record is officially clear, the Department of Corrections and law enforcement agencies will still have access to the expunged record for offenses requiring a 5-year waiting period only (710-1410 probation, TASC probation, etc., and supervision for domestic battery or criminal sexual assault), and
- Your criminal record no longer appears on background checks.
Sealing Records in Joliet, Illinois
When a record is sealed, it cannot be seen by the general public.
However, employers required by law to do background checks can still see sealed felony convictions. Usually, these employers will require you to be fingerprinted. Examples of these employers are:
- A hospital,
- An organization that requires you to work with or around children, like a school or daycare,
- Fire departments,
- Police departments, or
- Other public or government jobs.
No other employer can see any cases that are sealed. Landlords also cannot see any record that has been sealed.
Law enforcement agencies, on the other hand, can still see sealed records. Law enforcement agencies include police departments, the courts, and State’s Attorneys.
Records that are expunged or sealed cannot be accessed by anyone without a court order, including you.
Records that are expunged or sealed cannot be accessed by anyone without a court order, including you.
Citizenship status
A word of caution. Anyone applying for immigration benefits must reveal any arrests, including arrests while a juvenile when questioned on an immigration application or by a USCIS officer. If you expunge or seal are record before you complete the immigration process, you may be asked to undo the expungement or sealing to get a copy of the file. Speak with an immigration attorney before filing for an expungement.
Illinois Expands Laws allowing for the Expungement and Sealing of Criminal Records
Our Illinois expungement lawyers ready to help you create new beginnings and leave your legal mistakes buried in the past.
In 2017, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner signed important legislation that opens up more possibilities than ever before for people with criminal records.
This new law amends the Criminal Identification Act to help people who have felonies in their pasts, and it’s the largest expansion of the act that the state—or any other state, for that matter—has ever passed.
This expansion makes all felonies eligible for sealing and greatly increases the number of cases available for a full expungement.
Effective 8/10/18 a court cannot deny your petition for sealing based on overdue fines.
If you have questions about expungement or sealing, please feel free to call us for a Free and Confidential consultation. Our lawyers are here to help you clear your record and start a new life!
How to get copies of your Illinois criminal records
Expungement vs Sealing in Illinois
Even if some instances are not eligible for expungement or sealing, you may still expunge or seal those arrests and cases that are eligible. The ones that are not eligible will stay on your record. Below is a helpful reference:
Cannot be expunged or sealed
• Domestic Battery
• Violation of an Order of Protection
• Violation of a Civil No-Contact Order
• Violation of a Stalking No-Contact Order
• Soliciting a Prostitute or Patronizing a Prostitute
• Any offense that requires registration under the Sex Offender Registration Act
• Dog Fighting
• Class A misdemeanors under the Humane Care for Animals Act
• Arrests for misdemeanors and felonies that did not result in a conviction
• Convictions for misdemeanors and felonies only if they were reversed, vacated, pardoned. You must also have a Certificate of Eligibility for Expungement from the Prisoner Review Board.
• You are an honorably discharged veteran
• Sentences for supervision if the waiting period has passed
• Sentences of qualified probation, if 5 years have passed
Can be sealed
• Arrests and charges for misdemeanors and felonies that did not lead to a conviction can be sealed at any time
• Minor traffic offenses if you were released without being charged
• Felony traffic offenses that were reduced to an eligible misdemeanor
• Convictions for most misdemeanors and felonies can be sealed 3 years after the end of the sentence.
• A misdemeanor conviction of Public Indecency
Cannot be expunged
• Any federal or conviction outside Illinois
• Any sentences you have not yet completed, including parole, probation, or court supervision
• Minor traffic offenses (unless you were released without being charged)
• Convictions for misdemeanors and felonies (unless they were reversed, vacated, pardoned or approved by the Prisoner Review Board)
• Court supervision or qualified probation that was not completed
• Court supervision for reckless driving (if you were 25 or older at the time)
• Court supervision for sexual offenses against minors
• Court supervision for driving under the influence
• Eviction cases cannot be expunged but you can have them sealed.
Cannot be sealed
• Reckless Driving (unless under 25 at the time of the offense and no other convictions for DUI or reckless driving)
• Driving Under the Influence – DUI