A Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) is a record of all criminal court appearances in Massachusetts for a particular individual, including arrests, convictions, dismissals, and serious violations. Your CORI report is a summary of all your criminal cases in Massachusetts state courts. CORI does not include restraining orders or other non-criminal matters. Criminal records can make it hard to find a job, get housing or have a good life. Even if your criminal record is old, ti can create problems for you.

There are ways to reduce the impact of a CORI on daily life. In any case, removing an offense from your CORI requires getting a court order.

Do you have good cause for getting your CORI Records Sealed? Have you experienced one or more of the following:

1. You are having trouble getting a job, denied a job or are at risk of unemployment because of your criminal record? 
2. Would you like to be able to have or train for a specific job but cannot do so due to your criminal record? 
3. Are your prospects at your current job limited because of your criminal record? 
4. Are you currently homeless or having trouble getting housing due to your criminal record?
5. Are you unable to volunteer at your child's school or unable to participate in other community activities due to your criminal record? 
6. Has a lot of time passed since you caught any new charges?
7. Are you trying to make your life better be it through night classes, GED or other educational opportunities? 
8. Have you completed all of your probation requirements? 

This is not an exhaustive list of good causes for getting your CORI Records sealed but just a glimpse of some of them. 

SEALING RECORDS

Most criminal records can be sealed eventually through an administrative process by mail or by a judge. Most misdemeanors and felony convictions from a Massachusetts state court can be sealed after a waiting period. The general rule is that you are eligible to seal a conviction after a waiting period of 5 years if it is a misdemeanor conviction, and after 10 years if it is a felony conviction provided that:

• You have no new conviction(s) (except for motor vehicle convictions with a fine not greater than $50) during the same period in or outside of Massachusetts; AND
• You did not serve a jail sentence during the same period in or outside of Massachusetts, AND
• You are not now required to register as a sex offender.

Every time you are convicted or incarcerated, the clock re-starts to add another 5 years for a misdemeanor, and 10 years for a felony. 

Contact Attorney Curran to see how we may be able to help you:

10 Tower Office Park
Suite 406
Woburn, MA 01801
Phone: 781-933-1542
Fax: 781-933-1549
ellen@emcurranlegal.com