Do Expunged Records Show Up On Background Checks? Attorney Matthew Brown from Combs Waterkotte answers the commonly asked question, “Do expunged records show up on background checks?”
Transcript
Jessica Ambuehl: Let’s talk about background checks. Would an expunged record actually show up when you get fingerprinted?
Matt Brown: No. And that’s the whole purpose of expunging your record, so it doesn’t show up on a background check.
If it’s done properly and all the proper agencies have been served, then no, any record, whether it be an arrest record or a criminal record that gets expunged, would not show up on a background check.
Jessica Ambuehl: Is there a way for me personally to expunge myself or do I need the assistance of a lawyer?
Matt Brown: Well, we always recommend getting the assistance of a lawyer.
Courts will oftentimes have forms available that you can fill out yourself and try to do the process yourself. But one thing that we always caution people calling in and asking us about expungements is it’s very specific. The steps are very specific on what you need to do. Who you need to get served, who needs to be a party to the case.
If you mess that up, the judge has to deny your petition for an expungement. If your petition for expungement gets denied, you then have to wait an entire year before you can repetition the court.
So, yes, it is certainly possible to do it yourself but we always recommend, obviously, for those reasons I just stated, and it takes the stress off the client. Having to do these things themselves and make sure they dot every “i” and cross every “t,” because again, if you mess that up, the judge has no choice but to deny it, and then you’re stuck waiting an additional year before you can even repetition the court.
Jessica Ambuehl: Just adds more stress to an already difficult situation.
Matt Brown: Absolutely. Let us take the stress off you and we’ll get it handled for you.
