This is the next article in our series on the sealing (formerly known as “expungement”) of Arkansas criminal records. Our last article discussed the process for sealing your criminal history. It is important to understand that the process must be handled correctly from beginning to end. If it is not then you may find that portions of your record remain unsealed or that the Court outright denies your Petition. In this article we will discuss how an attorney can assist you in making sure the process is properly completed. If you need assistance then contact our Little Rock office today to speak with a lawyer.
Experienced counsel will likely have completed many different record sealings on behalf of Arkansas clients. This means that counsel will know which agencies, law enforcement entities, and Court systems to check in order to make sure that your entire history is included in the request. This will help to ensure that you do not inadvertently seal part of your history while leaving the rest open for discovery by potential employers. Counsel will also make sure that your Petition contains the correct information and is properly filed with the Court. If the Petition does not contain the requisite information, and if it is not in the correct format, then the Court may deny your request. Finally, should there be a hearing and objection on the matter then having counsel present can help you in making an argument to the Court as to why the request should be granted.
Retaining an attorney can also help you to ensure that you are eligible to complete the process. The Court Clerk will not prevent a prior defendant, who is representing themselves, from filing a Petition with the Court. Such a defendant, however, would have gone through the entire process only to be told by the Judge that they may not seal their record. By retaining counsel you can make sure that you are eligible to seal your record so that you do not risk wasting time and money on something you were otherwise ineligible for.
If you require assistance with sealing an Arkansas record then contact our office today to speak with a Little Rock lawyer. Our firm has extensive experience in handling such matters and we are ready to assist you. Contact us today. We also handle matters in Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Springdale, Jonesboro, North Little Rock, Conway, Rogers, Pine Bluff and throughout the rest of the state.