If you have a criminal history, you may experience challenges when applying for a job, looking to rent an apartment, or attempting to volunteer. Having your criminal record sealed would prevent certain information from appearing in your CORI report. Here is some important information on sealing criminal records in Massachusetts.
Situations Where Background Checks Are Performed
Background checks may be performed in many different cases, such as…
- Applying for a job.
- Applying to rent an apartment.
- Volunteering for any event or activity involving children.
- Applying for a firearm license.
- Volunteering with law enforcement.
- Applying for an adoption.
Qualifying to Have Your Criminal Record Sealed
If you have any of the following, sealing your criminal records in Massachusetts may be possible:
- A misdemeanor more than 5 years old.
- A felony more than 10 years old.
- A Continuance without finding (CWOF) more than a year old.
- Dismissals.
- Non-convictions.
- Hearings resulting in no-probable cause.
With misdemeanors and felonies, you must not have any new convictions after the dated ones from the list above.
Getting Your Criminal Records Sealed
Sealing criminal records in Massachusetts after a certain amount of time and/or in certain cases is intended to prevent those with criminal backgrounds from being discriminated against for an indeterminate period of time. It typically involves some paperwork and a court appearance. A criminal attorney can help you with this process. Contact us today for a consultation on your particular situation and for assistance with sealing your criminal records.