Obtaining a professional license can already be a complicated, time-consuming, and costly process. Being convicted of a crime while you are applying for a professional license or already have one can make the process even more difficult.
In many professional fields, it is required to submit to a background check before you are allowed to become a licensed professional in your chosen occupation. If your conviction is “substantially related” to the profession that you work in, it can be cause for disciplinary action (i.e., denial, dismissal, suspension, etc.). This is especially true for fields specialized areas such as healthcare and law. It should be noted that just about any conviction can be shown to have a substantial relationship with your profession. They may be seen to reflect your overall character and trustworthiness.
If you have a criminal record and are applying for a professional license or already have one, it is recommended that you connect with a skillful expungement lawyer in Los Angeles today.
There are hundreds of occupations in California that require a professional license, including if you want to be a doctor, lawyer, nurse, contractor, real estate agent, teacher, pilot, and more.
Each of the licensing agencies over these roles have strict requirements for the people who are applying to and currently hold these licenses. If you are convicted of an infraction, misdemeanor, or felony, it could limit your ability to enter into a new profession or continue in your current field.
If you have a conviction on your record, you may experience the following:
If you already hold a professional license, it will typically be required that you self-report convictions or reveal them when you are applying for a renewal. This could result in disciplinary action. The licensing board or agency may also file an accusation against your license on their own cognition. Furthermore, depending on the conviction and what your occupation is, you may lose your license. In particular, most licensing agencies and boards take DUI, domestic violence, and sexual assault convictions seriously.
If you already hold a professional license and have a conviction, it is in your best interest to speak to a California Expungement attorney as soon as you can.
An expungement in California does not always mean that you will not face disciplinary actions on your license. Most licensing agencies still have the right to deny your license application or discipline a licensee even if a conviction has been expunged (dismissed).
However, an expungement can certainly help you to prove to any licensing board that you have been rehabilitated and deserve another chance at practicing your profession. An experienced expungement lawyer in Los Angeles can help to present your case in a positive light and fight for your right to be licensed and employed in your field.
This will depend on the type of license that you currently hold. It is important to seek the guidance of a knowledgeable expungement attorney to learn more about the affirmative obligations that your specific license holds you to.
Furthermore, unnecessarily disclosing too much information to a licensing agency can negatively affect your defense efforts. This is why speaking to an attorney first is highly recommended. You don’t want to lose your license or be kept from receiving one because you disclosed information you did not need to; alternatively, you don’t want the same consequences for not disclosing enough information.
It can take many months for an expungement to be reflected on your record, and if you currently hold a professional license, you and the board that resides over your profession may come to a mutual agreement about a possible timeframe for being eligible to re-apply.
If you are applying for a new professional license, it is important to discuss your case with an expungement attorney that is familiar with the process of applying for a professional license in your chosen field.
After your record has been expunged, it cannot be viewed with traditional background checks or used for employment, housing, and loans. However, government agencies and licensing boards still have access to your records, and this may still impact your ability to get a professional license.
However, every case is different, so speak to an expungement attorney before you give up on your professional license.
California Penal Code 1203.4 explicitly states what types of situations will require you to disclose expunged convictions. However, before you disclose that information, it is imperative that you connect with an expungement attorney first. Disclosing prematurely or too much information can have detrimental consequences.
Moreover, disciplinary action on your professional license is public information. Not only can disciplinary action negatively affect your ability to work in your current profession, but it could also affect your ability to work in another profession you may want to pursue in the future.
At ExpungeAmerica, we have successfully helped several professionals with getting their criminal records expunged while retaining or obtaining their professional licenses. Give us a call or fill out our easy online form to begin the expungement process today.
