Starting January 1, 2015, people with certain violent misdemeanor convictions can petition the court to have their criminal records sealed, thanks to a new law signed into effect last week by Governor Pat Quinn. 

This law, which actually amends the Criminal Identification Act, still prevents sex crime-related misdemeanors from being sealed, as well as misdemeanors involving animal cruelty. In many other cases, though, there’s a genuine chance of starting fresh. Read More