It is no secret that a criminal record can affect your life in a number of ways. Unfortunately, a crime committed years before can follow you throughout your life and impact your potential opportunities. Luckily, there are options when it comes to your criminal record. Read on to learn more about criminal records in New Jersey, the long-term consequences, and the possibility of expungement.
What Are the Long-Term Consequences of a Record
A criminal record can affect a lot of important aspects of your life. In some cases, a record can lead to difficulty obtaining or keeping employment. On many job applications, applicants are required to check “yes” or “no” when asked if they have a criminal record. Additionally, many employers run background checks on their potential employees. A record may also be used against you when it comes to determining child custody. Unfortunately, one parent may use a criminal record as evidence to deem another parent unfit. A person’s immigration status can also be majorly impacted by a record. Foreign individuals with a criminal record can be deported or prevented from becoming a future citizen. These are just some of the ways a criminal record can impact you in the long run.
What is Expungement?
While having a record can have a serious impact on your life, there are some options. In New Jersey, you may be able to have your record expunged. Expungement essentially allows an individual to erase his criminal record. This means you would no longer have to disclose your record when it comes to things like job applications. That being said, some members of law enforcement will still be able to access your record. Notably, inNew Jersey, not every crime can be expunged from your record. Some of the crimes that are ineligible for expungement in the state of New Jersey are as follows:
- Robbery
- Kidnapping
- Murder
- Perjury
- Selling a controlled substance
- Aggravated sexual assault
- Arson
If you have a criminal record and you would like to look into the process of expungement, contact our firm today to speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney. We are here to walk you through all of your criminal law matters.
Contact our experienced New Jersey firm
Thomas DeMarco & Associates, LLC is an experienced Camden County criminal defense law firm located in Mt. Ephraim, New Jersey. We understand how potentially damaging a criminal can be, which is why we pride ourselves on our willingness to fight for our client’s rights. Our firm handles all criminal matters and is ready to provide you with our knowledgeable legal counsel. Do not hesitate to contact our firm to discuss your legal situation.
