Prior to 2011, people convicted of controlled substance related crimes were never eligible to seal the conviction record. These records remained opened to the public for eternity. Employers, landlords, loan officers, and anyone with internet access and a few spare dollars could run background checks and see the criminal records of anyone convicted of criminal offense. As many people with controlled substance convictions know, having a conviction on one’s record negatively impacts a person’s ability to get a job, secure a loan, and obtain housing. For some, it also acts as a source of shame, a constant remainder of a mistake or a dark period of time.
In August 2011, new laws concerning sealing Colorado criminal convictions for controlled substance violations went into effect. Now, certain individuals with controlled substance convictions are eligible to seal their records. Once a record is sealed, it is no longer visible to the general public. The fact a person was arrested, charged, and convicted of an offense will not come up on background checks. Additionally, employers, educational institutions, state and local government agencies, officials, and employees shall not, in any application or interview or in any other way, require a person to disclose any information contained in sealed records. An individual who has sealed his or her records can truthfully answer that no conviction or arrest has ever occurred.
The new laws have the ability to drastically change lives. If you have been convicted of a controlled substance related offense in the past, you might be eligible to seal your records. Please contact Denver controlled substance criminal defense attorney Steven Louth today for a free consultation.