HOW DOES A CRIMINAL RECORD AFFECT AN INDIVIDUAL'S LIFE?
/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:
- You are having trouble getting a job, denied a job or are at risk of unemployment because of your criminal record?
- Would you like to be able to have or train for a specific job but cannot do so due to your criminal record?
- Are your prospects at your current job limited because of your criminal record?
- Are you currently homeless or having trouble getting housing due to your criminal record?
- Are you unable to volunteer at your child's school or unable to participate in other community activities due to your criminal record?
- Has a lot of time passed since you caught any new charges?
- Are you trying to make your life better be it through night classes, GED or other educational opportunities?
- 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