Like most states, Indiana has expungement laws on the books. The concept evolved because of the difficulties that go hand-in-hand with a spotty criminal history. In theory, the process of expungement offers people a second chance by limiting public access to records of their past misdeeds.
There’s a common misconception, however, that says expungement calls for the complete removal or destruction of the subject’s criminal record. This is not the case. The State Police maintain a central repository for criminal history information in Indiana, and our expungement statutes are designed to limit public access to information about a past conviction. This applies only to the central criminal history repository. No records are deleted, and no information is erased.
Expungement also doesn’t mean that past convictions can’t be used against you by the State. Remember: your criminal record has been hidden, not destroyed. Expunged conviction records can still be accessed by the State, which allows the prosecution to reach back into your past for purposes of sentencing enhancements. Getting an expungement doesn’t mean you no longer have any criminal convictions; all it means is not everyone can look at your criminal convictions as part of the public record.
Expungement law can be difficult to navigate, so it’s unquestionably in your best interest to contact an experienced attorney to help you through the process. Call the Marc Lopez Law Firm at 317-632-3642. We know we can help.
