What are the Different Routes for Obtaining Your Criminal Record History in Orange County, California?
Are you concerned that your criminal past is getting in the way of housing and employment opportunities? If yes, you have an assortment of options available to help you have past convictions dismissed from your criminal record. In fact, you could potentially have a past misdemeanor, infraction and even felony dismissed from your criminal record. Or, ten years following your conviction you may be eligible to receive a certificate of rehabilitation or pardon, as way to prove to the public that you are an upstanding resident of the state of California. The process for cleaning up you record can be arduous, but well worth all of the work, time and energy.
Your first step in cleaning up your criminal record involves obtaining all of the relevant information related to your arrest(s) and conviction(s). You can obtain this information through an assortment of avenues. You may already possess the original documentation you received at the time of your conviction and sentencing. Or the attorney who represented you in your case may have the relevant court documents and other information about your case. However, if neither you nor your attorney possess the official conviction information you can perform an assortment of records searches in order to access all of the information on your criminal record.
Obtaining Your Criminal Record From Orange County’s Superior Court of California
What are the ways I can Obtain my Criminal Record From the Orange County’s Superior Court of California
Orange County’s Superior Court of California allows residents to submit record requests through three different avenues: online, by mail and in-person. The Orange County Superior Court of California website is a great resource for locating criminal records because it provides the option to conduct record searches online. You can conduct an online record search using either your name, or the case number for the conviction you are searching for. You also have the option to send a request through the mail using a Request for Record Search Form #L-6. When submitting a Form #L-6 request you should provide as much information as possible in order to ensure that your record can be located. Some of the typical information that should be include in your case or criminal record request includes:
• Your full legal name, including any aliases;
• The case number for the arrest or conviction you are searching for;
• The drivers license number of the named parties in your case;
• The date and location of your violation, arrest or conviction; AND
• Any relevant addition information about your case.
When submitting a record request by mail, you are required to pay a $5.00 fee, plus additional costs, which vary depending on the type of record requested. Do not send cash when you mail your record request. Instead include a check made payable to the “Clerk of the Court” in your mailed record request. Checks submitted as payment for your record copy request must be preprinted with the primary account holder’s legal name. In addition to submitting a check payment with your mailed record request you must also include a stamped envelope that is self-addressed. This stamped envelope must be big enough to hold all of the requested documents.
You also have the option to access criminal and traffic case data online by visiting the official Orange County Superior Court of California website. Through the website you gain access to index information, which includes limited information about previous case filings, in addition to case access that provides more detailed information than what is contained in the case index. Accessing record information online should provide you with the information required to submit a record request by mail. However, the information from the online criminal and traffic cases system is not considered an official record of the Superior Court of Orange County. This means that in order to have the most accurate record you may need to submit a request in person in order to ensure that you are actually receiving all of the available case data you require.
Lastly, you can obtain information about your past cases and conviction(s) by visiting the local court where your case was prosecuted. Click here to find the address for your local court.
Obtaining Your Criminal History Summary from the State of California’s Department of Justice
Do I have the right to Obtain my Criminal History Summary from the State of California’s Department of Justice?
All individuals have the right to request an official copy of their complete criminal history summary records from the California Department of Justice. Though the law typically restricts access to these records, individuals are allowed access in order to review their record for completeness and accuracy. The process for receiving these records is a bit more complicated than requesting records from the Orange County Superior Court of California, and there are certain restrictions depending on whether you are a California resident or non-resident.
California residents can request a copy of their official criminal history summary by filling out a Live Scan Form BCIA 8016RR, while also submitting a fingerprint image and paying a $25 processing fee to California’s Department of Justice. You must submit a Live Scan Image, and fingerprinting services can be accessed at many sheriff’s offices and local police departments. Furthermore, you can also access a public applicant Live Scan website in order to obtain the proper type of fingerprint image. In contrast, non-California residents must instead submit a manual fingerprint card using Form FD258. Submit your completed application, $25 processing fee and fingerprint card to:
California Department of Justice
Record Review Unit
P.O. Box 903417
Sacramento, CA 94203-4170
Yanez & Associates Can Help in Your Record Search & Expungement
Law Firm to Help in Your Record Search Expungement in Orange County, San Bernardino , Los Angeles and Riverside
Accessing your criminal record and history will allow you to understand which convictions and other information are holding you back from obtaining employment and housing. The attorneys here at Yanez & Associates in Orange County, California can perform a full review of your criminal record to determine whether expungement is a potential avenue for having a past conviction dismissed from your record. Contact Yanez & Associates now.
