
You are not a criminal, even if you have a few things on your record. And, with the proper legal help, those blemishes on your record can be removed.
By reviewing the differences between sealing your record and expunging it while speaking with a Chicago criminal defense attorney, you will be able to better protect your innocence.
What Does It Mean To Seal Your Record?
The definition of “sealing your record” is as follows: storing your criminal record away from public access, thereby preventing any member of the public from accessing these records.
As an example, if you seal a criminal record with “fraud” on it, then neither this criminal record nor the crime it contains will show up on most background checks.
Even though your record is sealed, this does not mean that the record is gone. All of the various law enforcement agencies in the state of Illinois and the United States will still have access to the record.
Outside of the above, if someone has a court order, then they will also be able to unseal your record. This is rare, but it can happen because, as mentioned earlier, sealing a record does not erase the record.
What Does It Mean To Expunge Your Record?
The definition of “expunging your record” is as follows: completely erasing your criminal record and, in turn, anything that happens to be on this record.
Just as an example, if you were charged with “fraud” at one point, then expunging your record means that this charge, along with anything related to this charge, will be erased entirely.
Even though expunging your record does, in fact, erase the record, traces of this record will still exist.
If you are convicted of a particular offense, or the Department Of State Police is forced to, your record can be shared and/or used.
On the other hand, if you are never convicted of a particular offense, and the Department Of State Police never needs to share this record, then your record will be gone for good.
What Is Better: Sealing Or Expunging Your Record?
The answer to the abovementioned question is as follows: expunging your record is better.
You are not a criminal. And you do not deserve to have anything on your record. By expunging your record, you can erase whatever happens to be on your record.
Outside of the fact outlined above, there is something else to know: sealing your record is considerably easier than expunging it, and some factors make it difficult to expunge a record.
By working with an attorney, you will be able to seal/expunge your record. In doing so, you will be able to protect your innocence while also, depending on your situation, regaining certain rights that you may have lost.
Get Qualified Legal Help
If you need representation for a criminal charge, Glasgow & Olsson is uniquely qualified to help you.
Our team has helped thousands of people who have been charged with crimes in Illinois. When we take cases, we do so to win. This means we take cases to trial. We don’t arrange plea bargains unless it is in the best interest of our clients. As proactive lawyers, we fight aggressively and support our clients throughout their entire case up to and including appeals. Protecting your life and freedom is always the goal, and with our decades of experience practicing law, we know how to get results. This is why we are regularly invited to appear as a legal contributor on popular radio and news outlets, including ABC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and Fox NEWS.
When you need an attorney, experience matters. Speak with a Schaumburg defense attorney today to learn how our experience can get you the results you deserve.