TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Sometimes people commit crimes but put that life behind them. Then they find old mistakes still haunt them. Now there’s a way to seal those records away.
Maybe you know the Pima County courthouse a little too well. Maybe you’ve got some criminal history in your past. Maybe you’ve gone straight now but that trouble is still haunting you. Well now, there’s a chance you could seal it away.
An old criminal record can keep you from living an honest life. Chief Public Defender Megan Page says a new state law allows you to seal away those old records that can still handcuff your life.
“If your record is sealed for the most part you are able to when applying for loan applications, housing applications and job applications. You don't have to disclose that conviction or that arrest you're able to deny that you are convicted of those things. However, there are exceptions and a lot of them are pretty common sense. But for example, if you have been arrested or convicted of something related to theft, and you're applying for a job involving accounting or handling someone's money, you still have to disclose that arrest or that conviction.
The first is this Tuesday, Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Public Defender's Office at 33 North Stone.
Megan Page says if you come to the clinic you should bring any legal records you have.
It is very easy to find embarrassing records on the internet, including records of an arrest where the charges were dropped. Page says in cases that never made it to court you’ll need the information from police reports to apply to seal those records.
If a judge agrees to seal your records, businesses may not be able to see the trouble you hope to leave behind, but law enforcement will still have access and you’ll still be required to disclose your record to receive government benefits, including Medicare.
“So any government has any legal requirements for government benefits. You still have to disclose on those applications. It doesn't do away with that. We're more talking about employment and private employment and housing.”
The clinic will not provide a lawyer to file for you but lawyers there will guide you through the free of charge process of applying on your own.
It will be critical not to make a mistake. If your request is rejected you’ll have to wait at least three years to apply again.
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