Sealing Your Record

When someone has criminal charges filed against them, documents are created that can be accessed by the public. A criminal record is any criminal history compiled by state, local, or federal law enforcement agencies. By sealing a criminal record, the official information about the crime will be removed from public view, and with some limited exceptions, will not be available to employers. Some employers are able to see sealed records.

Regardless of whether you were convicted or your charges were dismissed, it is best to have the court seal the file so that it is no longer accessible to the general public. The process to seal either a dismissed case or a convicted case is the same, however, there may be restrictions on the number and type of convicted cases that can be sealed. Furthermore, a convicted case must be concluded for a certain length of time before a petition to seal the record can be filed. Traffic offenses including DUI’s cannot be sealed.

NOTE: If you were convicted of a minor misdemeanor for possession of marijuana, you should apply to seal the record as soon as possible. Drug convictions make you ineligible for federally subsidized student loans.

The following downloads are the applications that Athens County Municipal Court accepts for sealing criminal records. Multiple convictions can be listed on the same application to seal the record of conviction and multiple dismissals can be listed on the same application to seal the record of dismissal. However, convictions and dismissals cannot be listed on the same application. The Athens County Municipal Court charges a $50.00 fee for each application.

If you have questions about which petition to use, how to complete the petition, or any other questions about sealing a criminal record, please schedule an appointment to speak with an attorney.