Akron, OH Expungement & record Sealing Lawyer

Clear Your Criminal Record: (888) 506-2167

A criminal record can have a lasting and detrimental impact on your quality of life. In this economy, employers hire candidates based on their unique qualifications and the status of their criminal record. Even if you’re a lock-in for a job, you may lose out to a less-qualified candidate once a potential employer reviews your background check. Your criminal record doesn’t just influence your standard of living, it can also prevent you from purchasing a home or obtaining a professional license.

Fortunately, the quality of your future doesn’t need to be limited by the mistakes of your past. By “sealing” your criminal record, you can rebuild your life and actively pursue your dreams. At Christopher G. Thomarios, Esq. LLC, my goal is to help clients obtain expungements so that they can enjoy the next chapter of their lives.

Contact Christopher G. Thomarios, Esq. LLC at (888) 506-2167 to explore your legal options with an expungement lawyer in Akron.

Record Sealing & Expungements IN OHIO

Your criminal record isn’t just limited to actual convictions; it also encompasses arrests, dismissed charges, pending charges, and acquittals. Unfortunately, many people confuse a person’s character with the status of their criminal record. Unlike other states, Ohio doesn’t offer “expungements” to former offenders. Instead, petitioners can ask the court to “seal” their criminal records. This means that while records of your criminal history aren’t erased, they are locked away. If your record is sealed, you can legally claim that the event in question never occurred. The general public—including potential employers and landlords—don’t have the ability to access sealed criminal records, so it’s like the offense never happened.

You can only file a petition for record sealing if all criminal charges against you have been fully discharged. This means that you:

• Don’t have any pending criminal charges against you
• Completed your prison sentence
• Paid your court fees
• Completed the parole or probation you were ordered to serve
• Paid any court-ordered restitution

Of course, there are exceptions to this policy; your record is accessible to employers if you’re applying for a job in any of the following field: government, law enforcement, childcare, and elder care. Also, if you are involved in any future criminal investigations, law enforcement and prosecutors can pull up your sealed records.

However, not all criminal records are eligible for sealing. It’s essential that you discuss your case with an experienced attorney before filing your petition.

Eligibility Guidelines

Per the Ohio Revised Code section 2953.31, a petitioner can request to have certain convictions and non-convictions sealed. However, you can only apply to have up to five non-violent and non-sexual F4 or F5 felony convictions sealed. There is no limit to the number of non-violent and non-sexual misdemeanors you can have sealed. Also, if 2 or more convictions are related to the same criminal incident, they are counted as only one conviction.

The following offenses are not eligible for record sealing:

• DUI or OVI
• Child pornography
• First (F1) and second (F2) degree felonies
• Certain motor vehicle violations
• Certain driver’s license violations
• Specific of violence (including homicide, rape, assault, and robbery)
• Crimes involving a minor (including corruption, unlawful sexual conduct, pandering, and importuning)

Is Your Conviction Old Enough to Be Expunged?

In most cases, you need to wait a certain amount of time before you can get your record sealed. Of course, if your charges were dismissed, you can apply to have your record sealed immediately so long as you weren’t found guilty of any associated charges. However, if you were convicted of a misdemeanor offense, you need to wait a full year after your discharge to file your petition.

For felony convictions, you need to abide by the following timelines:

• You need to wait three years to seal one F3, F4, or F5 felony
• You need to wait four years to seal two F4/F5 felonies
• You need to wait five years to seal up to five F4/F5 felonies

As previously stated, your criminal record doesn’t just include misdemeanor and felony convictions. If you want to seal an arrest (so long as no formal charges were filed), you need to contact the police department that originally arrested you. It can be incredibly difficult to seal your criminal record, even in this circumstance, so it’s important that you contact an Akron expungement & record sealing attorney as soon as possible.

You Deserve a Fresh Start: (888) 506-2167

If you’re ready to seal your criminal record, contact my law firm, Christopher G. Thomarios, Esq. LLC. I have comprehensive understanding of the criminal justice system and can help you determine if you meet Ohio’s eligibility requirements. I have experience helping clients seal a wide-range of criminal charges, including: theft, forgery, possession of marijuana, disorderly conduct, and driving with a suspended license.