Chicago Criminal Defense Lawyers Blog
If you were convicted of a crime in Illinois, you may be able to seal the criminal record. The procedure around having a criminal record sealed is complicated and having the right attorney on your side can make all the difference in your case. With extensive experience, Attorney John D. Ioakimidis understands the nuances of this area of law. Recognized as one of the “10 Best Attorney for Client Satisfaction” by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys, you can trust you are in good hands at his firm.
In the state of Illinois, having your criminal record expunged is different from having it sealed. To have your record expunged means that the record is physically destroyed by the agencies and government bodies holding it or the hard copies of the record get returned to the petitioner. When a criminal record is expunged, it does not show up in any public record. To have your record sealed, on the other hand, means that the records will not be available to the public without a court order, although a physical and electronic copy of the record will remain in the database. Law enforcement agencies and courts, however, will still have access to the records.
Only the following Class 4 felonies can be sealed: Possession of Marijuana (720 ILCS 550/4), Possession of a Controlled Substance (720 ILCS 570/402) and Prostitution (720 ILCS 5/11-14). Once you have had a felony conviction sealed, you may not have any subsequent felony convictions sealed.