Finding out about your criminal record

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Lennyjoe

Lennyjoe

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How does one go about finding out if you have any convictions?

I know it sounds odd to ask this but my step father asked me about Fla CCW license info and what he has to do to get one. He says he got arrested at 18 (36 years ago) and cant remember if it was a felony or not. He can still vote and everything so I figured it wasn't a felony conviction. He never served any time for it but was concerned that maybe that would show up and disqualify him for a CCW license.

I dont know if there is anywhere out there that he can find out about it online. I think it was in WVA or Ohio but not sure.

Any suggestions?
 
Lenny, not as odd as you think. I deal with this maybe 3 or 4 times a year.

1. Ask him what county and state.
2. Narrow down a year and month if not exact date.
3. I recommend a private investigator, but if you want to do it yourself: contact the county clerk's office and ask about old court records and where to start digging.

Just because he was arrested, does not mean he was prosecuted. Thus there may be no court record (especially in old days where many, many more cases were not prosecuted--18 year old locked up overnight for fighting or shoplifting, told not to do it again and to get out of the county).

If no prosecution, he's probably safe. However, if curious, try to find out which agency made arrest and see what they can get you.

If they will not give you anything, time to talk to attorney and get subpoena or court order depending on state's "open air" or public records laws.

FYI, West "By God" Virginny used to have Justice of the Peace courts and Ohio used to have many City Courts which have been folded into county. Don't neglect looking there as well.
 
Go to your local Sheriffs Office, fill out the request for a criminal history, pay about $15 wait about 1 hr.
Click to expand...
Or maybe not.

It depends on where you live. When I applied for Florida, I went to my local PD, told them what I needed and why, paid whatever fee they asked for, and waited a week. What I finally received was a one-paragraph letter stating that they had reviewed their local records and found no criminal charges. That was not what Florida requested. I then had to go to the records bureau of the state police and pay another (significantly higher) fee to get a state records check, which was sufficient for Florida. Your one hour in my case took three weeks, and cost about ten times your estimated $15.
 
I think he has nothing to worry about

unless it was a domestic violation.
When I was drinking in NYC in the 1980's I got busted all
the time---tons!

Yet I passed Californias anal probe & got an exposed carry guard/gun card.
If you feel like taking a drive I think any CA gun shop can do an insta check,it just became law I think...

tell him don't sweat it-felonys are unforgetable
 
When I applied for the Utah non-resident permit, they said their request to California brought back a record, but that California could not tell them what it was. They wanted a copy of my record from California.

I applied to DOJ (Dept. of Justice) and had to be fingerprinted. I got back one sentence, "no record found". California DOJ would not send this to Utah, only to me.

In other words, it was impossible to comply with the Utah request. After speaking to them on the phone (they called me) they gave me the permit anyway.
 
This is an easy one. Go to one of the internet background check sites, pay your 12.95 by credit card and have them do a search. I own a restaurant and from time to time use an internet service to do a background check. It takes about two minutes, and seems to be pretty reliable. I use Integrascan. You can find them at (I'm pretty sure) integrascan.com

good luck,

jzz
 
Thanks for the info so far. I think he is good to go. Its good to see that my parents have finally come around on personal defense.
 
I don't know if other states have this, but in Wisconsin, if you go to the website of the Milwaukee circuit court, you can look up anyone's name who is a resident in the state and find out if they have had any convictions within the state.
 
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