Bronx Expungement Attorney

Your criminal record is one of the most important components of your personal reputation. Not matter what kind of standing you have with your friends or family, a criminal record can call your character into question.

What is worse is that you do not have to be charged with or convicted of a major crime in order to be negatively impacted by a criminal record. Even a minor mistake from your past can haunt you in frustrating and long-lasting ways.

Rather than letting yourself be judged and mischaracterized, work with a Bronx, expungement attorney. With the right legal counsel, you can take back control of your reputation and put the mistakes from your past behind you. If you are ready to move forward, a Bronx expungement attorney is the first asset you need and one of the strongest assets you can have. Read on to learn everything you want and need to know about this particular type of lawyer.

The Impact of a Criminal Record

For a variety of reasons, it is now more common than ever to run background checks. This is a regular feature of a rental application, a loan application, a job application, and many other important events in your life.

In most cases, a background check includes a check of your criminal record. If there is any damaging information on this record, it will immediately jump out at people who are eager to call your character into question. As a result, you may be denied a lease, turned down for a loan, or rejected for a job.

On an individual basis, these things are frustrating. But taken together, they can create huge problems in your life. Instead of avoiding instances where you know your criminal record will put you at a disadvantage, work with a Bronx Expungement Attorney.

Understanding Expungement

Expungement is simply the process of getting damaging information removed from your criminal record. This can include both crimes you were convicted of and crimes you were simply charged with. Once the information has been removed with the help of a Bronx Expungement Attorney, it is largely invisible when someone takes a look into your background.

There are a few issues that are important to be aware or, however. First and foremost is that while expungement can help to clean up your criminal record, it cannot alter the past. It may still be possible for people who are properly motivated to find out about charges or conviction from your past through other sources. So don’t expect a Bronx Expungement Attorney to be able to eliminate every obstacle created by a criminal history.
The second issue to be aware of is that New York State does not allow expungement. However, the state does permit a process called sealing through which information on your criminal record is withheld from some parties, including renters, lenders, and employers. It is still visible to law enforcement officers, firearms dealers, and select employers. But for all intents and purposes, it is invisible to everyone else. To have your criminal record sealed, you will need to work with a Bronx Expungement Attorney.

What to Expect of a Bronx Expungement Attorney

If there are items on your criminal record that you would like to erase or obscure, the first step is to reach out to a Bronx Expungement Attorney. You will want to have legal counsel on your side because sealing your records is a complicated and complex process. There are some records that cannot be sealed, typically because the charges involved are deemed to be too important to hide from public attention. A Bronx Expungement Attorney can help you identify the records that can and cannot be sealed and then proceed forward with the process according to the strict letter of the law.

In the case of records that cannot be sealed, a Bronx Expungement Attorney may be able to help you limit their impact on your reputation. With a Certificate of Relief from Disabilities or a Certificate of Good Conduct, you essentially amend the damaging information on your record with a positive assessment of your character. That may convince renters or employers that you are a risk worth taking. Again, a Bronx Expungement Attorney can help you determine if you apply for these certificates and go through the application process.

If your criminal record has been a source of frustration and restriction throughout your life, now is the time to pursue a solution. The sooner you reach out to a Bronx Expungement Attorney, the sooner you can begin focusing on the future rather than the past. To get all the advice, guidance, counsel, and assistance you need, reach out to Troy A. Smith Attorney at Law. To get a free consultation from a qualified Bronx Expungement Attorney, call (212) 537-4029 at your earliest convenience.