What is an Expungement?
The consequences of having a conviction on your record can be devastating and everlasting. Almost all criminal convictions are accessible through a simple Google search. Potential and current employers have the ability to access your criminal record within seconds. Simply said, your criminal record may be enough to prevent you from securing a steady livelihood. Getting your record expunged is one of the only ways to prevent the public from accessing this information. An expungement is an order from the court demanding certain records be sealed. It is important to note that there are two different types of expungements:
- Expungements authorized by statute; and
- The court’s inherent authority to expunge records.
The Minnesota legislature enacted laws that control most expungements. These laws are available for anybody to read here.