I was convicted of Penal Law 240.20 (petty theft), what can I do?
I was 16 years and 9 months old when I was convicted of Penal Law 240.20. I was arrested for petty theft and I was sentenced to perform community service for a day at the park. Other than that, the store also sent a bill to me asking me to pay for the goods I stole and I sent the check out immediately. (I have 0 prior convictions). Later on I went back to the courts and asked them to seal my records and they said it should have been sealed already and that no information should've been leaked out but when I was doing volunteering at XXXX (i prefer not to mention the place), the center called me and said they had done a background check on me and found out I had a record. I do not understand what sealing the records does, and also, what could I do to prevent my record from being revealed to companies? I am afraid that if I try to find a job later on, they may not hire me because of this.
Also, is there "expungement" in N.Y.C. ? and can it help me? or should i hire a lawyer?
Answers:
Depends on a lot. If you are above 18 now, then your juvenile record should, and I say SHOULD, be sealed and not come up in a standard background check.
You should call an attorney in your boro and bring the question up to them. I know you can do a motion to Seal the record, but since you were either a juvenile, or Youthful Offender (depending on the charges), it is supposed to be sealed automatically.
So, best bet is to CONSULT an attorney (don't just hire the first one you speak with). Free Consultations are the norm, especially in Qns or Bklyn. If you're over 18, then definitely ask about automatic sealing of youthful records. Good luck.
Expunging a charge erases the conviction because the penalty and debt was paid. There then should not be any record of the incident. N.Y. may have some other explanation for you, but you are probably not asking the right questions. Are there any legal aid offices in N.Y.? They have free criminal assistance. Bye the way a 'sealed record' is not always - sealed from inspection. Employers and special jobs can access the info.
Spartawo...
Straighten up and fly right.Or can you not distinguish(tell) the difference? Pretty damn simple really.don't break the law, don't go to jail etc.It is all about RIGHT and WRONG.
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