If you’re like many people who don’t qualify for expungement, you’ve wondered whether you may qualify for criminal record sealing. While expungement and sealing aren’t available to everyone, you may qualify for one or the other—and your best bet is to get in touch with a Chicago criminal record sealing lawyer who can help you get the answers you need.
Do I Qualify to Seal My Criminal Record in Illinois?
Some criminal records can be sealed, even if you don’t qualify to seal all of them.
Offenses that can be sealed include those with final dispositions such as:
- Acquittal (finding of “Not Guilty”)
- Stricken with leave
- Finding of no probable cause
- Nolle prosequi
- No charges filed
- Dismissal
If you have a final disposition listed here, you may qualify for expungement.
In other cases, if you were sentenced to “First Offender” probation or TASC probation, you must wait at least 3 years before you can apply to have your record sealed. In addition, 3 years must have passed since the end of your last sentence.
Some Class 3 and Class 4 felonies can be sealed, including:
- Possession of cannabis
- Possession of a controlled substance
- The Steroid Control Act
- The Methamphetamine Precursor Control Act
- Possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance
However, not all of these offenses qualify for sealing, so it’s a good idea to talk to a Chicago criminal record sealing attorney who can give you case-specific guidance. (You can also double-check and find out whether you qualify for expungement, as well.)
Offenses That Do Not Qualify for Criminal Record Sealing in Illinois
Some offenses don’t qualify for criminal record sealing. If you have been convicted of any of these offenses or if you received supervision and have any other convictions on your record, you don’t qualify for sealing:
- DUI
- Dog fighting
- Indecent solicitation of an adult
- Adultery
- Fornication
- Public indecency
- Marrying a bigamist
- Solicitation of a sexual act
- Soliciting for a prostitute
- Keeping a place of prostitution
- Patronizing a prostitute
- Pimping
- Obscenity
- Distribution of harmful material
- Domestic battery
- Criminal sexual abuse
- Violation of an order of protection, civil no-contact order, or stalking no-contact order
- A misdemeanor violation of the Humane Care for Animals Act
- Any offense or attempted offense that would subject a person to registration under the Sex Offender Registration Act
Do You Need Your Criminal Record Sealed in Chicago?
If you’re interested in criminal record sealing in Chicago, call us at 847-920-4540 or contact us for a free criminal record sealing case review now. We may be able to help you get the fresh start you deserve.
