Facing criminal charges is undoubtedly one of the most distressing and psychologically challenging happenings for an individual to endure. To make issues worse, it's disturbing to know that a past arrest can impact the defendant's future for the rest of their life. Without seeking an expungement, it's highly likely that the arrest may come back to trouble the individual in the future. The fact that the criminal charges were dropped or your criminal lawyer secured an acquittal on your behalf does not mean that the charges cannot crop up from time to time. Expunging such criminal records ought to be your top priority. Talk to a criminal lawyer for assistance.

Reasons for expungement 

In job interviews, potential employers always carry out background checks on potential interviewees. In such checks, past criminal arrests may resurface. Despite the fact that an acquittal or a good court outcome was achieved, the employer may consider this as a penchant to criminal activity by a prospective applicant and turn away from recruiting the person as a result.

If you are looking to rent or buy a property, a past crime might also prove to be stumbling block. Generally, landlords and property sellers carry out background checks on potential tenants and buyers and always want a person with a clean criminal record. This may mean that your request may be turned down because of your past criminal record.

Likewise, if you are looking to adopt a child, the adoption agency may dig up your past with a view of trying to understand what type of person you are. If a past criminal record crops up, chances are that the adoption process may not sail through despite the fact that you have honest intentions of taking care of a child.  

Process of expungement 

First, your criminal lawyer will seek to review your options. You stand a good chance of having your past criminal arrest expunged if the charges were dropped or if you obtained an acquittal. Next, your attorney will file a civil lawsuit to have your record totally cleared, and the success of such a petition will depend mainly on the preparation and presentation of your lawsuit. As you can see, the essence of hiring a criminal lawyer to kick-start the expungement process is almost as important as seeking the dropped charges or acquittal in the first place. With good legal representation, you have a good chance of your case being purged from your background record. 

For more information, contact a local firm like Russo Lawyers.