A felony stays on your record forever unless you are eligible to have the record sealed or expunged. Even if the record is sealed or expunged, law enforcement can access the record. But the general public can’t.
Most applications for jobs, housing or licenses ask the question “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?” If you say yes, they ask what year. This means even if the background check they perform does not go back as far as your arrest, they may still find out about your charge.
If you are convicted of a felony, you can petition to have your civil rights restored after 10 years. But this does not erase the felony from your record.
If you have been arrested for a felony, make sure you hire an attorney to help protect your rights. A conviction can result in the loss of a job, voting rights, the right to own a firearm and can ever result in eviction from housing or homeowner associations. If you think you qualify for an expungement contact an attorney immediately to start the process. The sooner you can seal the record the better off you will be.
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