Whether you were unjustly accused or made a mistake that you would like to put in the past, you may have options to clear your record that you were unaware of. As we have explained in previous posts, you may, under certain conditions, be able to erase or seal a criminal charge or conviction so it does not show up in background searches or public records inspections. You and other Missouri residents may be interested in learning about the benefits of sealing a criminal record.

Firstly, as FindLaw explains, you should understand that an expunged record can still be accessible to law enforcement and criminal courts. However, the general public should have no way of knowing that you were accused or convicted of a crime if you have had this record expunged. There are numerous benefits to this, such as the following:

• A conviction not showing up if you are filling out a job or home rental application
• A criminal record not impeding your obtaining a professional license or affecting your credibility
• Your reputation not being negatively impacted if an associate or potential dating partner does a background check
• The personal satisfaction of knowing you have a clean record

It is not always easy to have a record expunged, and success depends on numerous factors, including the nature of the conviction, your criminal history and how long it has been since you were charged with a crime. Since this topic can be complex, the information in this blog should not replace the advice of a lawyer.