How Long Will a Domestic Battery Charge Stay On Your Criminal Record?

If you’re like many people who have been charged with domestic battery, you’re wondering about your future. Will it show up on your criminal record? Who will be able to see it? How long will a domestic battery charge stay on your record?

Here’s what you need to know.

How Long Will a Domestic Battery Charge Stay On Your Criminal Record?

If you’re convicted of domestic battery or aggravated domestic battery, it’ll stay on your criminal record forever. However, if you’re charged with either of these crimes and your charges never result in a conviction, you can ask the court to expunge or seal them.

Remember, though – even if your charges don’t lead to a conviction, they’ll stay on your record unless you ask the court to remove them.

What Does it Mean if Your Charges Don’t Lead to a Conviction?

Sometimes the state charges people with a crime and then fails to find them guilty of committing that crime. In other cases, the state charges someone with a crime and then “drops” the charges – they don’t even make the person go to court to face the charges. In those cases, you should be able to ask the court to erase your criminal record.

Related: How do you fight a domestic violence charge?

Does a Domestic Battery Charge “Fall Off” Your Record After a Certain Amount of Time Has Passed?

No charges “fall off” your record in the state of Illinois. Once you have a criminal record, it’s there for good unless you petition the court for an expungement (which erases your criminal record) or a sealing (which closes your record off so most people can’t see it).

Can You Have Your Record Erased if You’re Convicted of Domestic Battery?

A domestic battery conviction can never come off your criminal record. It must stay there forever unless you get a pardon from the governor, which is a long shot for most people.

Do You Need to Talk to a Lawyer About How Long a Domestic Battery Charge Will Stay On Your Record?

For most people, the best way to keep a domestic battery charge from making its way to a criminal record is to work with an attorney. However, you need to know that there’s no way to predict how a judge will rule – sometimes the court finds people guilty, even if they have the best defense strategy.

Working with an attorney can help ensure that you get the best possible outcome for your case, though. It can also ensure that you have someone fighting hard for you, and that there’s always someone there to answer your questions about the process.

If you need to talk to an attorney about domestic battery charges, we’re here to help. Call us at 847-920-4540 or fill out the form below as soon as possible. We’ll be happy to give you a free case review.