SEALING SERIOUS CHARGES

In June of 2010 JA, a then 27 year old Indian immigrant, was charged with Offering Money for Sex (2 counts), Kidnapping, Assault & Battery, Assault, and Indecent Exposure. On December 1, 2011, a year and a half after first appearing in Court, all the charges against against JA were dropped when the complaining witness failed to appear in Court on the date the case was scheduled for trial.  JA had to wait to seal his record because he was going through immigration issues. Immigration gets to see records that are sealed and immigration demands to see all the paperwork in any criminal case – even if the record is sealed. In 2019 JA had become a citizen and now wished to seal his record. In January 2019, JA, now age 36 and a resident of the State of California, contacted Attorney Robert Lewin of North Andover about sealing his record. Attorney Lewin gathered the information needed, prepared a petition to seal, sent it out to California for JA to sign, and then filed it with the Commissioner of Probation. On February 28, 2019 the Commissioner of Probation sealed all the charges that had been pending against JA – including the Kidnapping (a felony) and the three sex charges. The sealing of records is an important benefit under Massachusetts law. There are certain offenses which cannot be sealed; however, where it is permitted, sealing should be done in virtually every criminal case