Learn how to get your name taken off the registered sex offender list.
Reintegrating into normal society following conviction for a sex crime can be extremely difficult. The general public has a great deal of fear and animosity towards sex offenders, even those who have paid their debt to society by completing their criminal penalties. And because many sex offenders face mandatory inclusion not only the government’s sex offender registration list, but also on a public “Megan’s Law” website that provides their names, photos, and complete home addresses, the past can seem all but impossible to escape.
In reality, the past is not inescapable for some convicted sex offenders. They can end their registration requirements and relieve the social stigma that comes from being a registered sex offender by securing a Certificate of Rehabilitation.
What is a Certificate of Rehabilitation?
A Certificate of Rehabilitation is in essence a court order stating that your criminal past can no longer be used against you. Instead, you must be accorded the rights and privileges of any ordinary law-abiding citizen. Examples of what a Certificate of Rehabilitation can accomplish include:
- Preventing state agencies from automatically denying licenses
- Preventing potential employers from using your conviction as a reason not to hire
- Preventing landlords from rejecting you based on your conviction
- Relieving you of the responsibility to register as a sex offender
Who is Eligible?
Certificates of Rehabilitation are intended to help both felony and misdemeanor sex offenders. However, individuals whose convictions involved acts against children are often not eligible. Specific crimes that are automatically excluded from consideration for a Certificate of Rehabilitation include:
- Sodomy with a minor
- Lewd acts with a minor
- Oral copulation with a minor
- Continuous sexual abuse of a child
- Forcible acts of sexual penetration with a child
Additionally, you must complete other requirements in order to qualify, including meeting residency requirements and completing a “satisfactory period of rehabilitation.”
How do I Get a Certificate of Rehabilitation?
In order to secure a Certificate of Rehabilitation, you need to file a petition with the court. This involves filling out some application forms and submitting letters of character along with other relevant documents. The court will then set a hearing date and give you the opportunity to demonstrate to the judge that you are rehabilitated. This entire process can be quite complicated, so it is highly recommended you enlist the aid of a qualified sex crimes defense attorney to assist you.
