SEALING CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS IN SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY

A criminal conviction can have many negative effects on a person’s life. A criminal record can impact a person’s ability to get a job, college financial aid, obtain housing and much more.

Fortunately, in 2017, New York passed Criminal Procedure Law Section 160.59, which allows a person to seal prior criminal convictions. If a person has no more than two criminal convictions (only one of which may be a felony), after ten years they can petition the court to seal them and thus hide them from public view. The ten year period begins to run from the date of sentence or, if the person was incarcerated, the date they were released from custody. Currently, convictions for certain crimes, including sex offenses, Class A felonies and violent felonies, cannot be sealed.

Attempting to seal a criminal conviction can be a complicated matter. At the Elbert Law Firm, our Suffolk County criminal lawyers can assist you in this process. If you or a loved one is being held back by a criminal conviction and you would like a free consultation to determine eligibility and more information about the sealing process, please call the Elbert Law Firm today at (516) 282-3630.