Individuals in Alexandria, Virginia, will find it easier to expunge their records. However, this update will only affect those with criminal records in the Alexandria court system or police. The Sheriff of Alexandria, the Commonwealth’s Attorney, and the Clerk of the Circuit Court recently announced a new expungement process. 

According to the announcement, they will introduce a one-stop, limited-cost process for individuals interested in expunging these records. There are specific cases when a criminal record gets expunged. These examples include the mistaken use of a person’s name, a dismissal, acquittal, absolute pardon, or nolle prosequi. Eligible records will receive expungement after the circuit court enters an order.

The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office will provide the fingerprinting process for free. Sheriff Casey explained that fingerprinting is a critical part of the expungement process. As such, providing this service at no cost will expedite and ease the expungement process. The Commonwealth Attorney’s office will also help make the process affordable by waiving the service fees for the expungement process. Finally, the Clerk’s Office will refund the filing fees as the law requires if the court grants an applicant’s expungement request.

There are currently fees set by law for expungement. Other than the filing price, this initiative would waive the expungement fees. Should the court grant the expungement, it would waive the filing fee. The usual fees to obtain an expungement are listed below:

• Filing fee; must pay to the Clerk’s office, but is 100% refunded if the court accepts the expungement.
• Fingerprint fee; usually $10, but the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office will waive it through this initiative.
• Service and process fee; waived by the Commonwealth’s Attorney as a part of this initiative.

Applicants should know they must pay the $86 filing fee upfront. Should the court grant an expungement, the court will refund the filing fee. As such, not receiving an expungement means applicants will not receive a refund. These expungements should help many individuals obtain more employment opportunities. Furthermore, they should help businesses by expanding the labor pool. 

Businesses can also provide a second chance for individuals waiting for expungement or ineligible to receive one. In the hiring process, they can determine whether the applicant’s criminal record is relevant to the desired position. One way to start a second-chance employment program is to partner with an experienced background-check company. The right partner will deliver accurate and compliant reports, ensuring the company can make an informed decision.

Discover the benefits of JDP’s seamless background checks for your business. Contact a Sales representative today.

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Ohioans legalized marijuana when they approved Issue 2, leading to the law taking effect on December 7. Those with criminal records for minor possession violations may soon seal or expunge these records. This ability is one of several changes under consideration in the new law by the General Assembly. 

The Senate passed a bill to provide money for court training and new systems. Incorporating these improvements would also improve the expungement processing speed. Furthermore, the bill intends to collect this money through taxes on marijuana sales.

Though the Senate passed a bill earlier in December with the Governor’s strong endorsement, the House has not approved it. Instead, the House is considering a bill that does not include anything about expungements. Despite this delay, the Democrats claimed that expungements are a vital subject.

Ohio Rep. Dani Isaacsohn said that expungements are a priority because they are a need and a priority for his constituents. He also said that marijuana use is similar among the different racial groups and demographics. However, charges for marijuana-related crimes and convictions are racially disproportionate. So, he says that expungements are an issue of racial equity and justice.

Unfortunately, an effective automatic expungement process could be challenging to set up. According to the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts, the system cannot handle this; the large number of requests would cause significant complications. The new law also has a limit of 2.5 ounces of marijuana, whereas the limit in the criminal statute was for a maximum of 100 grams, which is over 3.5 ounces. This difference could cause problems for processing the expungements.

It could be some time before the Senate and House agree on changes to the new law. This expectation is because they cannot agree on several issues. Regardless of whether they reach an agreement, the law would still require individuals to attend a hearing with a judge to seal or expunge their records. Those who successfully expunge or seal their records must apply separately to do the same for other convictions.

It remains uncertain whether the legislators will agree on a bill. However, employers can help job applicants by considering which offenses should disqualify someone from a job. The best way to start a second-chance program is to partner with a background check company experienced in this area.

JDP makes background checks easy and reliable. Contact a sales rep today.

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Due to Louisiana’s costly expungement process, the state’s lawmakers have passed legislation to make it more manageable. Before the changes, individuals had to pay $550 per charge. This price is too high for many people. 

The passed legislation is the New Endings and Opportunities Act, which Senator Royce Duplessis led. This legislation would remove the cost of expungement, easing the struggle to seal eligible offenses. Lawmakers have reduced the obstacles many eligible individuals face through the newly passed legislation. 

For example, this law would eliminate application fees. It would also help facilitate communication between the agencies involved in the expungement process. As such, New Orleans will soon upgrade their computer systems to improve the process further.

According to the previous law, you had to hire a lawyer to expunge an eligible offense. The attorney would file the petition with the court for you. However, the new law allows you to expunge your eligible records without assistance, allowing you to start the process immediately. Should you have eligible offenses, you should find this cheaper and more accessible.

The new law will not alter the requirements to obtain an expungement. Instead, it only makes the process more accessible for eligible offenses, which could benefit approximately 1.3 million people in Louisiana. However, the new procedure could take a while to put into effect. 

Despite the expected delay, Sen. Royce Duplessis believes it could go into effect within a year and a half. Should you have an eligible offense, consider staying updated with the Act’s implementation. Following and using it soon as it becomes available could significantly improve your employment and housing opportunities.

Remember that Louisiana’s law will not expunge or seal many offenses. Therefore, you should determine the eligibility of your records. Furthermore, you must adhere to the offense’s waiting period before expunging it. For example, eligible misdemeanor offenses have a five-year waiting period. Non-violent felony arrests and conviction records require ten years. 

Anyone with eligible records will benefit from sealing the information despite the wait. Removing it from the public’s view, such as employers or landlords, allows you to apply for greater opportunities. Once the process is complete, running a self-background check would be a good idea to ensure your record no longer appears in your background check. Reviewing your background report also allows you to correct any mistakes, such as sealed records still appearing.

Click here to run a self background check

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