Although there a wide range of steps to successfully winning a criminal expungement case for the client, likely the most crucial is carefully reading your client’s criminal records report. The next explains the task for obtaining and requesting changes in your client’s report in Minnesota.
Requesting Criminal History
Step one in filing a criminal expungement is getting your client’s complete criminal record. In Minnesota your client should request her criminal record through the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (MN BCA). Your client must either send a written request for the MN BCA or go to the office face-to-face. If mailing the request, it should be delivered to:
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
1430 Maryland Avenue East
Saint Paul, MN 55106
Break Out the Fine-tooth Comb
When your client has her criminal records record, it’s essential you gaze on the record carefully. Although helping your client file the expungement petition and representing her in court is very important, methodically studying the criminal background record needs to be your main concern.
Why’s focusing intensely in your client’s criminal background crucial? Because everyone involved in the act of collecting and recording data are human and mistakes happen. Catching an oversight at this stage, before you file the petition, is efficient and it shows your client you are invested in every detail of her case.
Not long ago i was using a client with a lengthy criminal history. Together we walked through each arrest and charge. There were some old arrests that my client honestly had little memory of coupled with a painful time recalling. But there was one charge, kidnapping, that she was positive was a mistake. It did seem odd because her other arrests and charges were theft related. I left our meeting wanting to reconcile my client’s recollection of her past offenses with your ex MN BCA criminal background report. Something just didn’t seem right.
Later, back my office, I methodically study each arrest listed on the report. I was not sure what I needed, but thought maybe I could glean a response to the discrepancy. First I viewed each arrest individually and took note from the offense date, the statute she was charged under, the charge itself, and also the disposition. Then, I compared the arrests to each other. This is when it struck me.
The Minnesota statute for your crime of theft is section 609.52. Now compare the section for that crime of kidnapping, that is 609.25. It appeared someone transposed a final two numbers when entering my client’s information within the MN BCA system. Below is how I proceeded to get the MN BCA to improve my client’s criminal history report.
Requesting a Correction for the Criminal History
First, I wrote a protective cover letter explaining why I figured there is one inside report. Then my client wrote a letter also describing the error. Together both letters were addressed and mailed to:
Criminal record Supervisor
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
1430 Maryland Avenue East
Saint Paul, MN 55106
In less than two weeks, an updated criminal record report was mailed to my client, while using kidnapping charge removed.
Ultimately, should your client has multiple arrests in a period of many years, spending some time to scour her criminal background about the front-end with the expungement process could save you wedding ceremony. Furthermore, it makes the petition writing process easier and above all it highlights your dedication for your client.