A person’s past should not haunt them forever. Yet all too often good people who made mistakes that resulted in criminal convictions, or even just an arrests, have to deal with those past mistakes over and over again. From applying for a job, to trying to get back into school, a person’s past arrests or convictions can prevent a person from trying to get their life on the right track. It is for these reasons that Indiana has a “Second Chance Law.”
If you were arrested, charged or even convicted of a crime, you may be eligible to have these records sealed or even expunged! Even certain felony convictions are eligible! There is a period of time, however, that a person must wait before such a petition can be filed. For these reasons, it is important to speak with an attorney to determine if and when you can legally file any petitions. A person is only entitled to one opportunity to use the second chance law, so it is imperative that petitions be filed in every court or county in which a person was convicted or arrested.
Once a petition or petitions are filed, the process is fairly simple. Some courts will require a hearing while others will grant the petition without a hearing. And depending on the circumstances of the case, it may not even matter if the prosecutor objects to the petition. The law requires that the Court grant these petitions in certain situations. Once a petition his been granted, your arrest or conviction records will be sealed or expunged. This means you can answer “no” to any application that asks if you’ve ever been arrested or convicted of a crime.
Don’t let the mistakes of your past continue to be in the way of your future. Call Altman, Poindexter & Wyatt llc to schedule an appointment to determine whether Indiana law offers you a second chance.