Permanent record?

Question

How long does a misdemeanor stay on a person's record? My brother in law had a minor drug charge nearly 5 years ago and wanted to know if it would still be on his record. If it is still on there, how can he have it taken off?

Answer 1

In most states if the person's record has remained clean for a given period after the offense, usually five years, a petition of expunction mya be filed to have their record expunged of the crime. It will still be "viewable" to law enforcement types , but not to general background type checks. Contact the clerk of the court for your county or state.