Expungement Attorney in Rolling Meadows

If you have a criminal past hanging over your head, you may need to talk to an expungement attorney in Rolling Meadows.

You don’t have to let your criminal record define you.

You can get the fresh start you deserve.

What is Expungement?

Expungement is a process that erases your criminal record – and if you’re like many people in Rolling Meadows, you qualify to clear your name.

The expungement process is straightforward. If your case is like most others in Illinois, it’ll follow these steps:

1. 1. You talk to an expungement attorney in Rolling Meadows about your situation.
   2. Your attorney conducts a complete background check to get your full criminal history.
   3. Your attorney determines whether you’re eligible for expungement – and if you’re not, he determines whether you qualify for criminal record sealing.
   4. If you are eligible for expungement, your lawyer completes a petition to ask the court to clear your record.
   5. You provide your expungement attorney with supporting documentation, such as a negative drug test or proof that you completed your sentence.
   6. Your attorney files the petition with the court. There is a filing fee associated with an expungement petition.
   7. The state’s attorney reviews your petition. The state’s attorney can object or agree – but either way, your case goes on to other parties who have a chance to object or agree. Eventually, your petition (with the state’s attorney’s and others’ recommendations) ends up in front of a judge.
   8. If the state’s attorney objects, you may be entitled to a hearing. Your Rolling Meadows expungement attorney can represent you at this hearing.
   9. The judge will decide whether to expunge your record.
   10. If the judge decides in your favor, he or she will issue an order that tells the County Clerk, the agency that arrested you, the Illinois State Police and the FBI to clear your criminal records.

How Do You Qualify for Expungement in Rolling Meadows?

You may be eligible to expunge:

• Arrests for misdemeanors and felonies that never resulted in a conviction
• Sentences for supervision if the waiting period has passed
• Sentences for qualified probation if the waiting period has passed
• Convictions that were reversed, vacated, pardoned or approved by the Prisoner Review Board
• Some nonviolent Class 3 and Class 4 felonies if you are an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces

If your record qualifies for expungement, you can petition the court. Check out the table below to determine how long you must wait before your expungement attorney in Rolling Meadows can petition the court for your expungement.

Can Employers, Landlords and Others See Expunged Records?

If the judge grants your petition for expungement, your criminal record no longer exists. Nobody can see it. In fact, nobody will ever know that you had a criminal record… it’s gone, and you’re free to move on with your life as if nothing ever happened.

Ready to learn more? Download your free Illinois expungement e-book.

What Happens if You Don’t Qualify for Expungement?

If you don’t qualify for expungement, that’s not the end of the road. You may still qualify for criminal record sealing.

Sealing is a lot like expungement – and your Rolling Meadows expungement attorney can help you clear your record this way, too. The key difference between expungement and sealing is that if your record is expunged, it goes away forever; if your record is sealed, it still exists, and some people will still be able to see it.

Who Can See Sealed Criminal Records?

Some people can still see sealed criminal records, including:

• The Illinois State Police
• The Department of Corrections, if you are convicted of another offense
• Prosecutors carrying out their duties
• State’s attorneys
• Courts
• Some employers, such as those that require fingerprint-based background checks (like some healthcare employers, childcare employers and the military)

Most people – including landlords, creditors and others who conduct standard (non-fingerprint-based) background checks – will not know that you have a criminal record.

What Offenses Can Your Expungement Attorney Petition the Court to Seal?

If you have arrests and charges for misdemeanors or felonies that never led to a conviction, or if you were sentenced to supervision or special probation, you should talk to an expungement attorney in Rolling Meadows about expungement. Sealing is generally available to people who don’t qualify for expungement.

Typically, you can seal most misdemeanor and felony convictions, as well as felony traffic offenses that were reduced to an eligible misdemeanor. Some convictions can never come off your record through expungement or sealing, though, including:

• Reckless driving
• Driving under the influence
• Domestic battery or aggravated domestic battery
• Soliciting or patronizing a prostitute
• Violation of an order of protection, a civil no-contact order or a stalking no-contact order
• Felony public indecency
• Misdemeanors listed under Article 11 of the Criminal Code
• Sex offenses that require you to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration Act
• Dog Fighting
• Class A misdemeanors under the Humane Care for Animals Act

What an Expungement Attorney in Rolling Meadows Can Do for You

An expungement attorney in Rolling Meadows will make the whole expungement (or sealing) process easier on you. He’ll:

• Fill out and file your petition with supporting documentation
• Follow your petition’s progress
• Represent you at a hearing if the state’s attorney objects to your criminal record clearing
• File a Motion to Reconsider (if it’s possible in your case) if the judge does not decide in your favor

Most people get hung up on the petition – you must use certain forms and fill them out in certain ways. The legal terms can be confusing, and so can the process of coming up with supporting documentation and filing it all with the court to get into the system. Your attorney will do all the “heavy lifting” so you don’t have to worry about any of that.

When you’re ready to stop letting your criminal record define you – and stop it from preventing you from getting a job, finding a decent place to live or obtaining credit – we can help. Call us at 847-920-4540 now or fill out the form below. We’ll review your case for free and help you start moving in the right direction.

Get a Free Consultation From an Expungement Attorney in Rolling Meadows Now

Fill out this form to send your contact information to us. We’ll call or email you as soon as possible. You can also call us at 847-920-4540 if it’s easier.