A felony has a big impact on a person’s life and if you live in Connecticut, you’ve come here trying to find out how to get the felony off your record. Realize that with all felony records, there are three options you can take. 1) Expunge Your Record 2) Seal Your Record 3) Request a Pardon of Your Record. The problem though is that all states don’t offer all three of these options. But before we get into what Connecticut offers, let’s review what each of these options actually mean.
Expungement
If you get your record expunged in Connecticut it’s as if your arrest and/or charges never happened. Your record is completely destroyed, including all physical and public records. When asked if have a criminal record, after expungement, you can truthfully answer “no”.
Record Sealing
Sealing your record in Connecticut is similar to expungement, but your record still exists in a limited form. The public does not have access to your record, but there are some exceptions. Your records can still be accessed by law enforcement and the courts. Record sealing is not as secure as expungement, but it is a reasonable alternative that is comparatively easier to obtain if your state offers it.
Pardons
If you receive a pardon in Connecticut, you still have record of your arrest or charge, but your guilt is exonerated. That is, you have proven that you are rehabilitated and forgiven for your crimes. You can also get relief in terms of having various rights restored, such as your right to vote. The requirements for pardons vary between states, but typically there is a lot of documentation required, and includes lengthy waiting periods to apply and receive a pardon.
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Things to Know Before You Start
First: It’s important to understand that every state is different in terms of what methods are available for felons to remove their record and the information below will help you understand what you can do in Connecticut.
Felony Expungement in Connecticut
Yes, it is possible to expunge your felony in Connecticut but it depends on the felony.
Sealing a Record in Connecticut
Yes, it is possible to seal your record in Connecticut but it depends on the felony.
Getting a Pardon in Connecticut
Yes, it is possible to get a pardon of your record in Connecticut but it depends on the felony.
Second: When trying to clear your record, you really have two options. The first is to get a free consultation from a lawyer to see what they think of your case, and the second is to try to do all of the paperwork yourself.
Third: We HIGHLY recommend that you get a free consultation from a lawyer prior to taking any action. We say this because whether you want to expunge, seal, or pardon your record, it’s an extremely complicated process. Failure to follow the process properly can end up with you being denied for the request and having to wait additional time (sometimes several years) before you can file again. In addition, getting an expungement lawyer can increase your odds of succeeding and sometimes it’s more affordable than you think. The first step is to click on the button below to confirm that you’re eligible for the expungement/sealing off your record.
Can You Expunge a Felony in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, to have your record expunged or sealed, is known as the erasure of criminal records. For a felony, you must apply for a pardon, and this applies to whether you want an expungement, your record sealed, or a pardon.There are 2 types of pardons that you can apply for in Connecticut. The first is called an “expungement pardon” (also known as an “absolute pardon”). The expungement pardon erases your conviction from your criminal record. -This means that, once you receive the pardon, you can essentially pretend as though the conviction never happened.The second type of pardon is the “provisional pardon.” A provisional pardon does not erase your conviction; it is used for employment purposes. -For example, the provisional pardon may provide that you cannot be denied a teaching or nursing license because of your conviction, but does not erase your conviction from your criminal record.
CANNOT EXPUNGE IF…
Federal Crime. You must apply for a pardon for a federal crime through the Department of Justice, Felony in another state If you committed a felony in another state, you must visit that state’s website to try to clear your record. Violent felony offenseIf your felony is a violent offense, then you are not eligible for expungement, not Guilty by reason of mental disease. A person not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect or guilty but not criminally responsible by reason of mental disease or defect is not eligible.
How to Expunge a Felony in Connecticut
As mentioned above, the idea of a Expungement/Sealing or Pardon are all essentially the same thing in Connecticut. In order to remove your record, there is one process and that’s outlined below.
• Before you begin this process, we insist that you take this eligibility test to determine if you’re eligible to expunge your record.
• If you are eligible, you should talk to the lawyer that we refer you to so that you get an idea of the price for their services (it’s likely cheaper than you think because expungements are mostly paperwork) and see what other helpful information they can give you.
• If you are not eligible for expungement based on our test, then you should stop here.
• If you are eligible based on our test and want to do this without a lawyer, continue reading.
• To apply for pardon of your criminal record, you need to file a petition, which can be accessed at http://www.ct.gov/doc/lib/doc/PDF/form/PardonFormerOffender.pdf.
• Additional records will need to be submitted for an expungement pardon.
• The Board of Pardons and Paroles can be reached at 203-805-6643 or 800-303-2884. The Board’s central office is located at 55 West Main Street, Waterbury, Connecticut 06702.
• You will need to fill out a “Criminal History Request for a Pardon” form (which is included in the application package) and mail it to the State Police Bureau of Identification at 1111 Country Club Road, Middletown, CT 06457-9294 (Telephone No. 860-685-8480). You will need to submit $25 and a complete set of fingerprints with along with that form. You can obtain your fingerprints from most police stations.
• You will also need to obtain a copy of the police report for any arrest within the last 10 years which resulted in a conviction; if there are no such reports, you will need a letter from the arresting agency stating this to be the case.
• It is important that you mention all of your convictions on your application, even those you received in other states. To obtain a police report for an arrest/conviction that occurred in another state, contact the arresting agency that was involved in the case in that state.
• If you do not remember all the details of an arrest/conviction that occurred in the last 10 years, you will need to obtain a criminal report for yourself in order to find out who the arresting agency was. Almost every state has a criminal history record repository that keeps a record of all criminal activity in that state (similar to the State Police Bureau of Identification in Connecticut). Listed on Criminal History Record Repositories is a list of criminal history record repositories for all 50 states.
• You can also obtain a more comprehensive, nationwide criminal report for yourself from the FBI. You can find out how to do this by calling the FBI’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., a (202) 324-3000, or logging onto its website at http://www.fbi.gov. The FBI’s website also has a list of local FBI offices you can call.
• You will be required to submit letters of reference from at least 3 people who know you well and can say good things about you to get your pardon approved.
• Only one of these letters may be from a family member (related by blood or marriage).
• Choose your references carefully. The more credible the person writing the reference, the better; church leaders, employers, co-workers and teachers are usually good, credible references (as opposed to your 16-year-old sister or high school buddy).
• Remember that you may submit more than 3 letters.
• Although not required, it is highly suggested that you submit, on a separate sheet of paper, a detailed and genuine personal statement to the Board. When writing your personal statement, keep in mind that the Board is not retrying you for your crime. Even though you may want to explain the facts of the crime from your point of view, do not try to make excuses for your crime and argue away your guilt.
• The Board is more interested in seeing that you are sorry for the crime, and that you understand the effects of the crime on the victim and society.
• Include all of the positive things that have occurred in your life since you received your last conviction—for example, educational achievements, new or stable employment, marriage or children, community involvement, charitable services or donations, law-abiding behavior, etc.
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• It is advised that you make a copy of everything you send for your records. Submit your application, letters of reference, and all supporting documents to:The Board of Pardons and Paroles55 West Main St., Suite 520Waterbury, CT 06702Attn: Pardons Unit
• After the Board receives your completed application, it will schedule a pre-screening date, and then a full hearing date 1 month after that.
• Depending on the type of conviction or convictions you have, the Board may grant your pardon without a hearing. The Board holds pardon hearings at least once every 3 months in various areas of the state.Currently the Board has 12 hearings per year.
• If the court rejects your request for pardon, it must provide you in writing the reasons for the denial. The court will then automatically try to determine whether or not you are eligible for receiving a provisional pardon.
• Under a provisional pardon, it is not possible for a person’s criminal records to be completely erased. However, even having a provisional pardon makes it considerably easier for a person to obtain a job or to get any other provisional license.
• The Board also offers a “Certificate of Rehabilitation” (COR), which is functionally and procedurally interchangeable with a provisional pardon – with the one significant difference that a Certificate of Rehabilitation is available from the Court Support Services Division (CSSD) to individuals under the court’s supervisory jurisdiction. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-130a(b); P.A. 14-27 § 3(a) (2014).By statute, both a provisional pardon and a COR share the same eligibility requirements, offer the same relief, and are subject to expansion and revocation under the same circumstances and to the same effect.
Can You Seal Your Criminal Record in Connecticut?
Yes, but as we mentioned above it is all the same process and it’s known as “erasure of a criminal past”. To view that process, please look above or click here.
Can You Apply for a Pardon in Connecticut?
Yes, but as we mentioned above it is all the same process and it’s known as “erasure of a criminal past”. To view that process, please look above or click here.
So, there you have it. Now you know how to get rid of your record in Connecticut. As we’ve said numerous times throughout this page, this is a really complicated process and we highly recommend that you take this eligibility test prior to taking any action to determine if you are eligible for any of these options.
Please note, the information contained here is not legal advice and is strictly informational. If you have any further questions about the information above, or in general, you need to contact a lawyer directly.
