People who have a criminal history often find that it’s hard to live life as they want. They may face challenges when they’re trying to find a job or a place to live because of their criminal record. Connecticut law sets some specific criteria for people who have a criminal record to get it expunged. There are many points you need to know about this possibility.
There are only specific cases that will qualify for an expungement. The qualifications vary for ones that are set to automatically be expunged and those that you would have to apply for.
In order to receive an automatic expungement, the case must meet one of these requirements:
- The case was dismissed
- You were found not guilty of the charge
- Your case was put on hold for 13 months without any disposition or prosecutorial action
- The charges were dropped at least 13 months prior
If you’re interested in an expungement that doesn’t qualify for the automatic expungement, your case has to meet all of the following requirements:
- You don’t have any other outstanding charges or cases in any jurisdiction
- You aren’t on probation or parole
- At least three years have passed since your most recent misdemeanor conviction and at least five years since your most recent felony conviction
In Connecticut, an expungement erases all the records pertaining to the applicable cases. This means that you won’t have to worry about it if you’re applying for a job or a home. The process is a complex one, so having an attorney familiar with it might be beneficial.