How does a convicted felon get his rights back

In Florida, restoration of your firearms rights is a type of clemency. Restoring your gun rights or obtaining a Pardon in Florida requires a application to be filed for the restoration of your gun rights or pardon.

We will review your eligibility as well as discuss your rights to own and use black powder firearms. If you have been convicted in a federal, military, or out-of-state court, you are not eligible to apply.

Rule 5D of Executive Clemency of Florida. When you apply to restore your gun rights in Jacksonville Florida or any other Florida city, the Florida Parole Commission may conduct an investigation. Depending on the results of this investigation, you may be subject to a hearing to determine the your rights to own or possess guns or firearms.

If you would like to restore your Gun or firearm rights in Florida, contact a Jacksonville Restoration of Gun Rights Lawyer who can let you know if you are eligible to get your gun rights restored. This handbook includes important information on duties and responsibilities that are involved in Florida Estate Administration and Probate. Get your complimentary copy. Please do not include any confidential or sensitive information in a contact form, text message, or voicemail.

The contact form sends information by non-encrypted email, which is not secure. Submitting a contact form, sending a text message, making a phone call, or leaving a voicemail does not create an attorney-client relationship. The rights to hold public office and serve on a jury are lost upon conviction of a felony and may be restored by the Board of Pardons, except that in the case of office eligibility ten years must also have elapsed since completion of sentence.

A person convicted of any felony loses the right to possess a firearm, and may regain it through a pardon. An independent board appointed by the governor exercises the pardon power, reporting annually to legislature, the governor, and the attorney general. The board issues pardons both with and without restoration of firearms rights.

The board may also restore civil and political rights to persons with federal and out-of-state convictions. Eligibility for pardon five years after completion of sentence including payment of court debt , restoration of rights after two years. People with sex offenses must wait 10 years. The board conducts a paper review, decides by majority vote, and issues a written decision.

Pardon relieves all legal disabilities except public office, and it is effective to remove from the sex offender registry. However, it does not expunge the record, and a pardoned conviction may be used as a predicate.

In , Georgia extended its law on administrative record restriction to make adult misdemeanor convictions and pardoned convictions eligible for administrative relief followed by sealing of court records, pursuant to a petition process after a short conviction-free waiting period with no pending charges.

Juvenile records may be sealed upon petition to the court after a two-year waiting period and a finding of rehabilitation, and juvenile victims of human trafficking may petition for sealing of sex offenses related to the trafficking. Private employers are not subject to any similar restriction.

Enforcement through administrative procedure act. A person convicted of a felony also loses the rights to hold public office and serve on a jury. The right to hold public office is restored upon completion of sentence including parole , but the right to serve on a jury can be restored only by a pardon. A person convicted of a felony, a crime of violence, or an illegal drug sale loses the right to possess a firearm.

This includes persons under 25 adjudicated for such an offense. This right can be restored only by a pardon. The governor issues pardons and is authorized but not required to consult the parole board for a recommendation. The board investigates each case and interviews the applicant, but there is no public hearing.

Five-year eligibility waiting period, with all fines paid and no pending charges. Pardon relieves all legal disabilities but does not expunge the record, and a pardoned conviction may be used as a predicate.

The pardon process is regular, but pardons have been infrequent in recent years. There is no statutory authority to seal or expunge adult convictions, with two exceptions: convictions for prostitution and related offenses may be vacated and sealed by the court after a three-year waiting period if there are no subsequent convictions; convictions for possession of three ounces or less of marijuana decriminalized may be expunged.

There is no authority to expunge or seal pardoned convictions. Deferred adjudication is available for nonviolent first-time offenses, and the record may be expunged after one year upon application to the court and attorney general. Deferred adjudication is also an option for those who are convicted of first-time drug possession, with expungement available if the crime was committed under the age of Non-conviction information is not publicly accessible except to criminal justice agencies and agencies authorized by law; upon application by the subject, the attorney general will expunge a record of arrest if no conviction resulted, and the individual may also apply to the court for expungement of court records.

Juvenile records are confidential; courts may expunge juvenile records if no charges were brought, or the individual was held not responsible. State fair employment practices law prohibits public and private employers from asking about criminal history until a conditional offer has been made. Non-conviction records may not be the basis of an adverse decision. A person convicted of a felony and sentenced to a term of imprisonment, including a suspended sentence, loses the rights to vote, hold public office, and serve on a jury.

These rights are restored automatically upon completion of any period of imprisonment, parole, or probation. A person convicted of a felony loses the right to possess a firearm. Except for certain serious violent crimes, this right is restored upon completion of sentence.

For serious violent crimes, the right may only be restored by the Commission for Pardons and Parole no earlier than five years after completion of the sentence.

An independent board appointed by governor unilaterally grants pardon except for crimes involving serious violence and drugs, which must be approved by the governor. The reasons for each pardon must be filed with Secretary of State. Eligibility begins three years after completion of sentence for non-violent offenses and after five years for violent offenses. An extensive application process and full hearing is required. Pardon relieves legal disabilities, including firearms rights, but is not grounds for expungement.

The pardon process is regular, and a high percentage of those that apply are granted. In addition any person convicted of a felony and sentenced to a prison term may have the sentence reduced to a misdemeanor five years after discharge, or earlier if the prosecutor so stipulates. Other non-conviction records may be sealed upon request to the state police after one year.

Juvenile adjudications, except for serious offenses, may be expunged after a waiting period five years for felonies, one year for misdemeanors. After a hearing, the court shall grant expungement petition if it finds the person has been held accountable, is a contributing member of society, and expungement will not risk public safety.

Idaho has no law generally regulating consideration of criminal record in employment. A pardon relieves employment disabilities imposed by state law or administrative regulation. Individuals may apply for a non-binding preliminary determination. A person convicted of a felony also loses the right to hold public office. Except for election-fraud convictions, the right to hold statewide office is restored upon completion of sentence.

But the right to hold other elected office municipal, county is restored only by a pardon. A conviction does not affect the right to serve on a jury. This right may be restored at the discretion of the State Police or a local court if specified standards are met, or if expressly provided in a gubernatorial pardon. The governor decides and is authorized but not required to consult with the prisoner review board, which holds public hearings quarterly and provides confidential recommendations to the governor.

No eligibility restrictions. Pardon relieves all legal disabilities and authorizes expungement if pardon expressly provides. The past several governors have pardoned frequently and regularly pursuant to recommendations from the PRB.

In , the governor used his pardon power to authorize expungement of more than 11, marijuana convictions, pursuant to statutory authorization. Eligibility does not depend upon payment of court debt, and restitution may be reduced to a civil judgment. Ineligible offenses include DUI, sex crimes, animal care crimes, and domestic battery. Non-conviction records may be expunged as opposed to sealed as may those that have been pardoned if the pardon document so authorizes.

Immediate sealing is available for victims of human trafficking for any offense related to the trafficking. Sealed records of felonies may be released pursuant to state or federal laws requiring a background check. Deferred adjudication is available for first-time nonviolent felony offenses, with expungement five years after successful completion of probation.

Non-conviction records may be sealed on petition at disposition, and may be expunged if the person has no prior convictions. In addition, marijuana arrests and convictions may be expunged pursuant to a tiered procedure involving automatic relief for non-conviction records and minor possession offenses, and relief by petition for more serious offense. Most juvenile records are automatically expunged after a waiting period that varies from zero to two years, except that those adjudicated for more serious felonies must petition for expungement after two years.

All juvenile records which have not been expunged are sealed. Judicial certificates : Courts are authorized to issue two types of certificates. Certificates may be issued by the sentencing court, either at the time of sentencing or upon satisfactory completion of sentence, or by the circuit court to those convicted of federal and out-of-state offenses, after a brief waiting period.

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination based on conviction record unless the record is substantially related to the employment at issue the employment presents an opportunity to reoffend or it presents a public safety risk; various factors must be considered and procedural protections apply.

In addition, employers and landlords prohibited from inquiring about or discriminating based on non-conviction records, juvenile records, or expunged or sealed records. In addition, public and private employers with more than 15 employees are prohibited from asking about criminal history until an initial interview or conditional offer is made, but this law provides no standards for considering a record.

Comprehensive standards apply to occupational licensing for most non-healthcare professions. Before denying a license based on conviction, agencies must consider certain mitigating factors and evidence of rehabilitation, and written reasons must be provided for denials. Licensing agencies may not consider juvenile adjudications, sealed or expunged records, uncharged arrests, dismissed charges unless related to the profession, and overturned convictions.

Offenses that serve as a bar to licensure must be listed online. A Certificate of Good Conduct is also available to avoid mandatory licensing bars. A person convicted of a felony loses the right to hold public office, a right that can only be restored by expungement or a pardon from the governor for which federal and foreign convictions ineligible.

A person convicted of a felony loses the right to possess a firearm, and this right is restored to those convicted of less serious crimes by expungement or by a pardon after 15 years, or earlier under certain circumstances.

Persons convicted of domestic battery may not possess a handgun, and they may petition the court for restoration after five years. The governor decides and is authorized but not required to consult with the parole board, which may make non-binding recommendations to the governor.

The governor must report annually to legislature on each grant at its next scheduled meeting. The board notifies victims, court, and prosecutor, and it investigates and holds a hearing where petitioner and interested parties are given an opportunity to be heard.

Recent governors have required a five-year waiting period and evidence of rehabilitation, with a year waiting period for firearms restoration.

Pardon alleviates collateral consequences and serves as basis for automatic expungement. Process is regular but pardons are infrequent.

Judicial expungement is mandatory, upon petition to the court, for non-conviction records, misdemeanors, and eligible less-serious felonies; expungement is discretionary for more serious felonies. Eligibility waiting periods range from one year for non-conviction records to ten years following completion of sentence for the most serious felonies. Certain offenses are ineligible for expungement, and anyone convicted of such offenses is not eligible for expungement of any otherwise eligible crimes such offenses include sexual or violent offenses, misconduct in office, or two or more separate felonies involving unlawful use of a deadly weapon.

Courts may expunge juvenile records at any time upon petition; courts must expunge automatically upon reaching age 19 ex. Expungement may be granted without a hearing unless the prosecutor objects; all fines and fees must be paid and no charges may be pending.

Where expungement is sought for a conviction, a petitioner may seek to expunge multiple convictions in multiple courts, but all petitions must be filed within one year; after that year, a person may not file another petition in their lifetime. Once records are expunged, only a criminal justice agency may access them without a court order. Administrative sealing of convictions is also available from the state police after 15 years. There is no general law limiting consideration of criminal record in employment, but broad nondiscrimination protection for expunged and sealed offenses, including limits on reporting by background screeners.

Ban-the-box is provided by executive order for executive branch employment on initial job applications, but local ban-the-box provisions are prohibited by statute, and no law covers private employers. There is negligent hiring protection for expunged and sealed offenses. A person convicted of a felony may be dismissed from a jury because of their conviction, but they are not automatically ineligible.

Those with federal or out-of-state convictions may regain their voting rights through the gubernatorial restoration process, or by restoration in the jurisdiction of their conviction. A person convicted of a felony, or convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence, loses the right to possess a firearm.

This right can only be restored by the governor at least five years after completion of sentence. The governor must report to the legislature every two years on his pardons, with the reasons for each one. For restoration of rights, application may be filed upon completion of sentence, including payment of court costs. For a full pardon, applications may be submitted at any time, but by policy the governor requires a ten-year waiting period after completion of sentence for pardon.

There is a five-year waiting period for firearms restoration. People with out-of-state and federal offenses are eligible for restoration of rights, but they may also have rights restored in the jurisdiction of conviction.

Pardons relieve legal disabilities but do not result in expungement or sealing. A single misdemeanor conviction may be expunged by the court if at least eight years have passed since completion of sentence and the person has no other convictions or pending criminal charges, has not previously been granted more than one deferred judgment, and has paid all financial obligations ordered by the court, including indigent counsel fees.

A lengthy list of ineligible crimes includes weapons offenses, misuse of public office, livestock abuse, and a variety of violent or sexual offenses. A person may be granted only one expungement in a lifetime. There is no statutory authority to seal or expunge felony convictions or pardoned convictions. Deferred adjudication, followed by expungement of records, is available for first offenses; however, it may be used to enhance punishment for a subsequent offense.

Records of acquittals and dismissed charges excluding deferred adjudication may be expunged after days, but only if all court debt has been paid. Juvenile records are presumptively confidential if they do not involve a forcible felony offense, but forcible felony records may be made confidential upon petition; juvenile records may be sealed upon petition after a two-year waiting period if the juvenile is at least age 18 and has no subsequent offenses.

In a general licensing law enacted a direct relationship standard, defined rehabilitation broadly and presumed it after 5 years for most crimes , provided for a preliminary determination, and provided for strong due process protections.

Pardon relieves all legal disabilities, including public employment disabilities. A person convicted of a felony loses the rights to vote, serve on a jury, and hold public office, which are restored automatically upon completion of sentence, including payment of fines and restitution, except that jury ineligibility extend for ten years after the date of conviction.

A person convicted of a nonperson felony loses the right to possess a firearm for three months. Expungement or pardon may cut short most but not all of these loss periods.

The governor is required to consult with the prisoner review board before issuing any pardons, but its advice is not binding. The governor must report pardons, but not reasons, to legislature each year. There are no eligibility requirements, and no hearing, but applicants are required to publish application in a newspaper in the county of conviction and to provide notice to prosecutor, judge, and victims.

Pardon removes legal disabilities but does not expunge the conviction. Pardons in Kansas are rare, with expungement the preferred restoration remedy.

Expungement of convictions is available upon petition to the court for all but serious violent and sexual offenses, following a waiting period of three to five years after completion of sentence. A person must be informed at each stage of the criminal process about the possibility of obtaining expungement, including upon release from prison.

Prosecutors have authority to enter into diversion agreements promising dismissal of charges in all but the most serious cases, and courts may make rules to offer diversion without statutory limits.

Executive branch employers are prohibited from asking about criminal record at the application stage, but there are no standards to guide decision-making thereafter, and no laws apply to private employers or non-executive branch public agencies. Individuals may be required to disclose expunged convictions when applying for certain licenses or public employment positions. Conviction may be considered in licensure but may not operate as a bar. Many licensing boards not covered, but those that are must list disqualifying crimes, minor misdemeanors may not be considered after five years, and non-conviction records may not be considered at all.

Aspirants may seek preliminary nonbinding advisory opinion as to whether conviction will be disqualifying. Pending felony charges also exclude from jury. For certain lower-level felonies, the right to vote may also be restored by judicial expungement. Federal and out-of-state convictions are subject to the same restoration regime as Kentucky convictions.

An executive order in December restored the right to vote and hold office to those convicted of nonviolent and non-sexual crimes, upon completion of sentence not including payment of restitution and other court debt. A person convicted of a felony after July 15, loses the right to possess any firearm.

A person convicted prior to that date loses only handgun rights. These rights can be restored only by pardon. The governor is authorized but not required to consult the parole board and is not bound by its advice.

The governor must report to legislature annually on pardons granted with reasons. Applicants must wait seven years after completion of sentence before applying, and no public hearing. Pardon power also used to restore right to vote and hold office upon expiration of sentence if no pending charges, and people with federal and out-of-state offenses eligible for this relief. Full pardon relieves all legal disabilities, but no expungement and may be used as predicate.

His successor Governor Andy Beshear restored the vote by executive order to many thousands convicted of non-violent crimes during his first days in office. Courts are authorized upon petition to vacate specified Class D felony convictions and pardoned convictions, dismiss the charges, and expunge the record five years after completion of sentence, with no intervening convictions and no charges pending.

Expungement of a single misdemeanor conviction or series of misdemeanors arising from the same incident is mandatory five years after completion of sentence if there are no intervening convictions or charges pending; expungement of multiple misdemeanors is discretionary. Expungement of prostitution convictions not involving violence is available to victims of human trafficking 60 days after the judgment.

After March , the court is required to automatically expunge non-conviction records upon disposition in cases of acquittal or dismissal with prejudice; for cases disposed of prior to that time, expungement is mandatory upon petition after 60 days without a hearing. In cases where felony charges have not been indicted after 60 days, expungement is also mandatory upon petition after notice to the district attorney. Dismissals without prejudice are eligible for expungement after a three-year waiting period for felonies, and a one-year period for misdemeanors.

Expungement is available for juvenile offenses, excluding sex offenses and violent offenses, after a two-year waiting period; expungement of juvenile records not resulting in adjudication is automatic at time of disposition. The order does not apply to other public employers in the state, or to private employers. A pardon may be useful in lifting barriers to some public employment, but gubernatorial restoration of rights is not. There is a rebuttable presumption that Class A and B felonies and registrable offenses are directly related.

Employers and licensing boards must provide applicants with written notice of the reasons for a denial and an opportunity to be heard, and in the case of licensure with an opportunity to personally appear before the board prior to the final decision. An applicant has the right to judicial review of a denial. Eligibility for jury service is lost for five years if under indictment or serving a sentence of prison, parole or probation for a felony. Eligibility for elective office is not affected by conviction.

A person convicted of specified crimes, including some violent felonies, weapons offenses, and sex offenses, loses the right to possess a firearm. This right is restored automatically 10 years after completion of sentence, or sooner by a pardon. The governor may not grant a pardon without the affirmative recommendation of the parole board.

Eligibility begins after completion of sentence, plus payment of costs. Prosecutor and victims must be notified by board and applicant must publish notice in newspaper. Statutory first offender pardon automatically restores civil rights, and as of is grounds for expungement, but it does not restore firearms rights or preclude use of a conviction in subsequent prosecution or sentencing.

Pardoning has become frequent and regular under the current governor John Bel Edwards , who issued pardons in his first term, reviving a process that had languished under his predecessor.

Eligible convictions may be expunged upon motion ten years after completion of sentence for felonies and five years for misdemeanors, if there have been no intervening convictions and no pending charges.

Specified offenses are ineligible. Expungement of felonies may be granted only once every 15 years except for deferred adjudication cases , and misdemeanor expungements only once every five years except for DUI convictions which must wait 10 years. Expunged records are not publicly available but may be accessed by law enforcement and certain licensing agencies and may serve as predicates.

Non-adjudication juvenile records may be expunged at age 17; misdemeanor adjudications may be expunged two years after satisfaction of judgement; felony adjudications, excluding certain serious offenses, may be expunged two years after satisfaction of judgement, with no subsequent weapons offenses and no pending charges. Public and private employers may not discriminate in hiring based on criminal records, may not consider non-conviction records, and must make individualized determination when considering other types of records that the record has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job that may justify denying the applicant the position, considering various criteria.

Public employers may not ask about criminal history for unclassified state service positions until after interview or conditional offer. General standards are provided for decisions thereafter relating to time elapsed since crime, its severity, and relationship to employment. Protection is provided from negligent hiring liability. No standards for determining relationship are provided.

However, any denial based in whole or in part on criminal record must explicitly state in writing the reasons for the decision. Judicial review is provided. Numerous occupations are exempt, including many relating to health, education, finance, and law enforcement, and exempt agencies are required to report to legislature actions involving license applications by convicted individuals, and the governor is required to conduct periodic reviews of the standards applied by occupational licensing agencies.

Expunged records are available to many licensing agencies but apparently primarily those that are exempt. Housing providers are required to disclose whether they consider criminal history, prior to accepting a rental application fee. A person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for at least one year, or a crime involving the use of a dangerous weapon, loses the right to possess a firearm. A juvenile adjudicated for any analogous offense also loses firearms rights.

A person may be issued a permit to possess a black powder gun five years after completion of sentence except where the crime involved use of a dangerous weapon, but restoration of other firearms rights may only be by a full pardon.

A juvenile adjudicated for a non-violent offense loses rights only for three years or until turning The governor is advised by a non-statutory advisory board that he appoints.

Eligibility begins five years after completion of sentence; public hearings are held at regular intervals, and the board makes confidential recommendations to governor after an investigation by the Department of Corrections.

Pardon relieves all legal disabilities and evidences rehabilitation, and results in the record being given the same degree of confidentiality as a non-conviction record. Pardons have been infrequent and the process irregular in recent years. There is no statutory authority to seal or expunge adult convictions of non-conviction records. Deferred adjudication is available for less serious offenses.

Juvenile records may be sealed upon petition after a three-year waiting period if there are no subsequent adjudications or convictions. State employers are prohibited from inquiring about criminal history on employment applications, but the law provides no standards for decisions thereafter. Employers in other political subdivisions, including schools, are not covered.

Maine does not otherwise regulate consideration of criminal record in employment. Even if they are expunged, criminal records may be used to limit or prevent licensing. Maine limits consideration of conviction in the granting any occupational license issued by the State, placing stricter limits on less serious or dated convictions, or convictions that have been pardoned or set aside. For most licenses agency may not consider convictions older than three years from conviction or release, for medical and law enforce licenses look-back period is ten years.

In this event, the agency must provide a written reason for its decision. A person convicted of a felony loses the rights to vote and hold office only while incarcerated, unless the conviction was for buying or selling votes.

A person charged with a crime with prison sentence exceeding one year felony or misdemeanor , or sentenced to more than one year of imprisonment is ineligible for jury service unless pardoned. A person convicted of a felony loses the right to possess a firearm, including antique weapons. These rights can only be restored by a pardon. The governor decides, and he is authorized but not required to consult with the parole commission for non-binding advice.

Constitution requires governor to publish notice of intent to pardon in newspaper and to report each pardon, with reasons, to legislature. Eligibility under formal regulations requires only completion of sentence, but informal parole commission guidelines require 10 crime-free years after completion of sentence to be eligible or seven years with parole commission waiver , five years for misdemeanors, and 20 years for crimes of violence and for controlled substances violations.

Paper review by parole board. Pardon lifts all legal disabilities and penalties imposed by conviction; firearms restoration must be express in pardon. Pardoned non-violent first offenses are eligible for expungement. Pardoning varies with the administration: the current governor Larry Hogan has issued no pardons. Expungement is authorized for enumerated misdemeanors upon petition 10 years after completion of sentence, and for a handful of felonies theft, burglary, drug-related after 15 years, if there have been no subsequent convictions, unless the subsequent conviction becomes eligible.

Relief is mandatory unless the prosecutor objects, in which case there must be a hearing to determine whether the person is a risk to public safety, and whether expungement would be in the best interest of justice.

Expunged records may be opened only by court order and are destroyed after three years. Expungement is also available for pardoned nonviolent first offenses, nuisance convictions after three years, marijuana possession offenses after four years, and decriminalized conduct. Victims of human trafficking whose prostitution convictions are vacated may also seek expungement.

There appear to be no standards applicable to hiring decisions thereafter. An occupational licensing board may not deny a license because of a conviction unless it directly relates to the desired license or there would be an unreasonable risk to property or safety. There are detailed standards for making these decisions, and no license may be denied seven years after completion of sentence with no intervening charges even if the disqualifying standards exist, unless the person is a registered sex offender.

Certain licensing agencies must report periodically to the governor and General Assembly on the number of applications received from people with a criminal record. Pardons lift all disabilities and penalties stemming from a conviction. A person convicted of a felony loses the rights to vote and hold public office only while incarcerated. Eligibility for jury service is also lost while felony charges pending, or if convicted of a felony until seven years after completion of sentence.

A person convicted of a felony, serious misdemeanor, or drug crime, or adjudicated for an analogous juvenile offense, loses the right to possess a firearm. A permit to have a rifle or a shotgun may be issued five years after completion of sentence unless the conviction was for a violent or drug crime.

The right to possess a firearm can otherwise be restored by a pardon rarely granted. By statute, petitions must be filed with advisory board of pardons, which holds a public hearing and solicits recommendations from attorney general, prosecutor, and sentencing court; board provides notice to victim and forwards recommendation to governor.

Under informal board guidelines, eligibility begins 15 years after conviction or release from prison for felonies and 10 years for misdemeanors. Record sealed upon pardon. Pardons have been infrequent since ; only six since by Gov. Patrick , and none by Governor Baker after five years in office. With certain exceptions, convicted persons are entitled to have their records sealed upon application to the department of probation 7 years after disposition or release from confinement for a felony and 3 years for a misdemeanor, without a conviction in the waiting period.

For sex offenses, the waiting period is 15 years after completion of sentence and removal from registry, unless registered as Level 2 or 3. Pardoned convictions are eligible for immediate sealing. Victims of human trafficking may petition the court to vacate a conviction for prostitution or simple drug possession, with sealing to follow. Records of decriminalized offenses, including marijuana possession, may be sealed immediately.

Sealing prohibits use in connection with employment, housing and licensing, but it does not expunge. Juvenile records must be sealed upon request if 3 years have elapsed, with no adjudication, guilty findings except some motor vehicle offenses , imprisonment or juvenile custody in the preceding 3 years. Records of nonviolent non-sexual juvenile adjudications are eligible for expungement permanent erasure or destruction after three years for misdemeanors and seven years for felonies.

In addition, employers may not take into account conviction records that have been pardoned or sealed. Massachusetts also limits the availability of conviction-related information to employers and licensing agencies through the Criminal Offender Record Information System CORI. Only certain convictions disqualify a person from office. A felony conviction results in ineligibility for jury service, until the conviction is set aside or pardoned. A set-aside or pardon restores this right sooner.

The governor decides after mandatory though non-binding consultation with parole board. The governor is required to report annually to legislature a list of pardons with reasons. There are no statutory eligibility criteria, but the process before the board is set forth in detail. The board will not process a pardon application where expungement is an available remedy. Pardon restores person to same position as if the offense had never been committed but it is not clear whether it is a basis for sealing.

Post-sentence pardons have been infrequent in recent years despite hundreds of applications received every year. In counting convictions most crimes in the same hour period arising from the same transaction are counted as a single offense. Waiting periods ranging from 3 to 7 years apply.

Charges dismissed pursuant to first offender drug deferred adjudication scheme count as misdemeanors for purposes of applying for set-aside. The certificates can get rights back that you lost because of your conviction. If you have a certificate when you apply for a job or occupational license, the employer or licensing agency must assume that you are rehabilitated unless there is something to say otherwise.

Certificate of Relief from Civil Disabilities Learn how to apply for a CRD if you have been convicted of any number of misdemeanors but not more than one felony. Certificate of Good Conduct Read how to apply for a CGC if you were convicted of 2 or more felonies, or want to apply for a public office job.