Mount Vernon, NY asked in Criminal Law for New York

Q: My lawyer got my case off with no record in nyc, does that mean it’s under sealed or completely erased?

It was 4/5 felonies. I had to finish school and pay a fine, I plead not guilty.

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2 Lawyer Answers
T. Augustus Claus
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Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Las Vegas, NV

A: When a case is resolved without a record in New York City, it typically means that the case has been sealed. Sealing means that the case is not visible on most background checks and is not accessible to the public. However, certain law enforcement agencies and government officials may still have access to sealed records in certain circumstances.

Marco Caviglia
Marco Caviglia
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Lagrangeville, NY
  • Licensed in New York

A: Your facts suggest you were in fact convicted of a crime if you paid a fine. If your conviction was for a crime, the fingerprints and mugshot and criminal history are there forever, unless somehow expunged or sealed. A charge that is dismissed has the associated fingerprints and photographs destroyed so the arrest is removed from the criminal history and the court record is sealed. Even then though, if your prints and photos are on file from a prior or unrelated conviction of a crime, that will be on your record as well.

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