Who Can See My Criminal Record After It Is Expunged

Expungement and criminal record sealing give former offenders a second take a chance at a clean record. Getting your record expunged allows yous to employ for jobs or housing without the fear of being rejected for your criminal past. After all, if you have done your time and yous are a reformed citizen, small-scale offenses in the past should really be forgiven and forgotten.

If yous qualify for expungement in Minnesota (and but certain cases or crimes do), this is mostly what volition happen. Not entirely, though.

Many people believe that one time a crime is expunged, all records of it is gone forever. This, however, is not true. While the general public will not exist able to come across your past crimes if they are expunged, there are nonetheless ways for sure individuals and organizations to access your criminal record.

Who Tin See My Criminal Record afterward It Is Expunged?

Who are these people and organizations?

Just public officials or individuals working in criminal justice will be able to access your un-expunged criminal record, and only on occasions where this information is relevant or necessary. What does that mean specifically, though?

Beneath are some of the people or organizations that can look at (or bring up) your criminal tape, even after it has been sealed:

Prosecutors and Judges – Multiple charges can add upwards over time, and greatly increase the sentences against you upon conviction. Simply considering your tape is expunged does not hateful you get a "reset." Prosecutors and judges volition have access to your full, un-expunged criminal record, and you lot can be sure that they will use this data against you lot in courtroom.

Minneapolis Expungement Lawyer

Something very important to understand is that lawyers tin bring upwards your criminal past even if you are not the defendant. For example, if you are a witness giving testimony in a criminal or civil trial, the lawyer on either side may use your criminal past against you as a way to impugn your grapheme and call into question the validity of your testimony.

Public Employers – It'south hard to get a job anywhere with a criminal record. That's why most people employ for expungement in the first place. Unfortunately, Minnesota still allows some employers to see your criminal record if they hold a public position.

The post-obit employers will take access to your criminal record if they are considering y'all for a position:

  • Criminal justice agencies (court authoritative jobs, positions with juvenile court or state prisons, police force officer jobs)
  • Human service agencies (social piece of work positions, probation officer positions, counselors)
  • Department of Educational activity (working in a public school)

Professional Agencies – If you lot are applying for a license to do a certain profession, your expunged record may limit you there as well. Your chances at getting a pharmaceutical license, for example, will exist pretty slim if you have some drug-related offenses hidden backside your sealed record.

Do Non Be Discouraged

Even though your criminal record is not completely destroyed, expungement will be able to help you motion forrard subsequently an arrest or confidence.

Minnesota wants to help out offenders who have served their time and have a desire to exist a productive fellow member of lodge. The process may have a few months, just volition do good you for the residuum of your life.

Desire your record sealed or expunged? Contact a Minnesota defense lawyer today to talk nigh your kickoff steps in the expungement process.

Well-nigh the Author:

Christopher Keyser is a Minneapolis-based criminal and DWI defence attorney known for fighting aggressively for his clients and utilizing innovative tactics to get the near positive results. He has been featured in numerous media outlets due to the latitude and depth of his noesis, and recognized as a Minnesota Super Lawyers Rising Star (2014–2016), a Top 100 Trial Lawyer (2013–2016), and a Top 40 Under 40 Attorney (2013–2016).