Required waiting periods before expungement of criminal records

There are consequences for people’s actions in Illinois. Some of the consequences are good and other are not. When people break the law oftentimes they experience negative consequences. These consequences depend on the type of crime committed and can include fines, community service, probation, house arrest, jail time and many other consequences.

When people are initially charged with and/or convicted of a crime, their focus is on the immediate consequences. However, they may eventually find out there are hidden consequences that can last much longer than the actual sentence. People will have a criminal record that is visible to the public. This means that potential employers, landlords and other people will be able to see that the person was convicted of a crime. This can affect a person’s ability to obtain employment and housing well after they have completed their sentence.

A person may be able to expunge or seal their criminal records so others cannot see that the person was charged or convicted of crimes. However, before they are eligible for expungement they must wait certain periods of time after their sentence is completed.

If the person received a sentence of supervision for crimes such as domestic battery, criminal sexual abuse, driving an uninsured vehicle and other crimes, they must wait five years before they can seek an expungement. After completing a sentence of supervision for other crimes, though, only two years need to pass before they can seek an expungement. For certain first offender probation drug crimes a person must wait three years before they can seek an expungement. If the person was never convicted after being charged there is no waiting period though.

There are many people who have committed crimes in Illinois. People may need to serve their sentence, but they should not necessarily be punished for the rest of their lives due to having a criminal record. People may be able to have their records expunged or sealed. This can be a complicated process and experienced attorneys may be a useful resource.