Criminal Records

 

Having a crime on your record can cause you a lot of headaches.  It can affect your ability to get a job, get a professional or vocational license to start your career, or your ability to purchase or carry a firearm.  Even though the conviction may have occurred many decades ago and you’ve moved on with your life, that one incident will remain on your record and show up on background checks.  You can, however, change that.

 

New Jersey allows individuals who have been convicted of certain crimes to expunge those convictions.  The requirements are fairly straightforward: you must have completed your sentence, paid your fine or finished any probated or other punishment; at least five years must have passed since the completion of your sentence or payment of fine (although ten years may be required in some instances); you must have the information of the original arrest, such as indictment, summons, or complaint number; and you must not have any pending charges or recent convictions.

 

A successful expungement means that records from your criminal conviction have been removed from your file, or “segregated.”  They are not literally destroyed and may be used in some instances by the government.  Likewise, private background checks, such as employer checks, etc., may not be fully updated merely by filing the expungement with the state.  Depending on your ultimate goal, clearing up your record with these agencies is generally a good idea.

 

Thompson Law Offices, LLC can help you throughout the expungement process, from filing the initial paperwork, to attending any hearing that may be required, to the process of notifying the correct private entities of the expungement, so that your record disappears as completely as the law allows.

 

Call THOMPSON LAW OFFICES today at (732) 551-3386 for a FREE CONSULT!

 

Mental Health Commitments

 

Everyone goes through tough times.  Unfortunately, some people don’t have anyone to turn to in their time of need.  The government sometimes steps in to fill that role, but it is often done without the consent of the individual.  When the government decides you need help, they can involuntarily commit you to mental health treatment.

 

A mental health commitment can have serious consequences that stay with you throughout your life.  Society can stigmatize individuals who have been committed.  An involuntary commitment also means that you lose your ability to possess a firearm to protect yourself or your family.  It might also prevent you from getting a job that requires a certain level of clearance.

 

Thompson Law Offices understands the devastation an involuntary commitment can cause.  In New Jersey, an individual who has been involuntarily committed for mental health evaluation has the ability to expunge those records.  However, New Jersey courts have stated that this expungement is not absolute and that the

commitment(s) must be disclosed for certain activities, such as applying for a Firearms Identification Card.

 

Call THOMPSON LAW OFFICES today at (732) 551-3386 for a FREE CONSULT!

 

 

Toms River, NJ
732.551.3386
Red Bank, NJ (By Appt. Only)
732.551.3386