The 5 Most Common Questions about Sealing a Criminal Record in Pennsylvania

Here are the answers to the most common questions that our criminal defense lawyers receive about sealing criminal records in Pennsylvania

1.  When a criminal record is sealed, does that mean that most people can’t see it?

Answer:  A sealed record cannot be seen or considered by the following:

1. The general public
2. Landlords
3. Schools
4. Licensing Boards
5. Most employers (employers who do not use FBI background checks won’t see a sealed record. 

• When a criminal record is sealed, can you deny it ever happened?

Answer:  You are allowed to deny your sealed case if your asked by someone listed above.

•  Do you still have access to your own full criminal record so you can see what cases were sealed?

Answer:  The easiest way to get a record of your sealed cases is to visit the Clerk’s Office in any Pennsylvania Courthouse and ask for your complete record, including sealed cases.  You can also order it online from the Pennsylvania State Police.  To see the criminal history that is available to the general public, you can simply search by name by visiting Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.

• In what situations can your sealed record be seen or viewed?

Answer: 

1. Law enforcement purposes (police, prosecutors and criminal Courts)
2. Gun ownership and use applications (permit to carry and Act 235)
3. Immigration 
4. International travel
5. Other Court cases (i.e. dependency, custody or protection of abuse)
6. Admission to the bar to be a lawyer
7. Limited situations where the federal law requires a background check for employment

•  What jobs require FBI background checks which would include sealed records?

Answer:    

1. Schools
2. Police departments
3. Jobs requiring contact with children
4. Caring for older adults
5. Banks
6. Airports
7. Casinos
8. Insurance and security industries
9. Hazmat endorsed commercial driver’s licenses
10. Any job requiring fingerprints
11. Foster care or adoption

Contact Our Criminal Defense, Expungement & Record Sealing Lawyers in PA & NJ 

Please click here to contact our Philadelphia criminal defense lawyers. We offer free case reviews and serve the following areas in Pennsylvania and New Jersey,  Atlantic City, Camden, Cherry Hill, Chester, Conshohocken, Doylestown, Media, Norristown, Philadelphia, Pottstown, Salem, Upper Darby, Upper Merion, Upper Providence, Vineland & Woodbury areas. 

 For more information on criminal strategies and defenses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania I encourage you to keep reading my blog.