It is human to make mistakes. But even small mistakes can carry significant legal consequences for years after they’ve been made. Sealing and expunging help clean your record so you can move forward without being weighed down by the past.
As the name implies, sealing a record involves closing that record off from public viewing. However, sealing a record will not actually erase it, and government agencies and officials can still access it in certain scenarios. Expungement involves destroying an individual’s criminal record so that, essentially, it ceases to exist. In Colorado, expungement is only available for juvenile criminal records.
Not every state offers expungement, but Colorado and Florida do. Expungement most commonly applies to offenses committed while a minor – such as Minor in Possession (MIP) or underage drinking and driving convictions. Sealing commonly applies to records containing a deferred judgment sentence.
Knowing the right form and method for your sealing and expunging process can be a complicated and confusing process. That’s why defendants substantially benefit from the knowledge and expertise of a lawyer. Contact me today to find out if I can help you erase or conceal past charges from your record.
