Everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes these mistakes can have lasting consequences on our future opportunities. If you’ve been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony, that criminal conviction might negatively impact your employment and housing options. Many employers and landlords run background checks on future employees and tenants, and even a seemingly inconsequential crime can leave you without your dream job or home. Your criminal record can even limit your admission to college, ability to travel, or eligibility to receive a loan.

Luckily for many of these convictions, Minnesota allows individuals to expunge them from your criminal record by sealing the court record. The state’s Second Chance Law was overhauled in 2015 and provides residents with a greater opportunity to expunge their convictions than ever before, allowing for the expungement of misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and low-level felonies.

Some of the things a judge will look at when deciding to grant your expungement include: the time between the crime and petition for expungement, any other convictions during this time period, your employment history, and involvement in the community.

If you’ve made mistakes and no longer want to be limited by them in your search for employment, housing, or other areas of your life, please contact our office today and we can set you up with an attorney that will help bring back the opportunities that you deserve.

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