background checks

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vapremed

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Hi, I had a quick question here. I had a misdemeanor charge as a minor, and am having to go through a background check for the school I was accepted to this cycle. As far as I was told in the past, if you are charged as a minor, then as an adult these records are expunged. I have done a similar background check for a job, where I said I had not been convicted of any crimes, and I got the job without a problem. My question is, is there a chance this is still on my record, and could that lead to a withdrawal of my acceptance? As I said before, I was a minor at the time and was told it would be cleared from my record..

Any help would do
Thanks
 
Hi, I had a quick question here. I had a misdemeanor charge as a minor, and am having to go through a background check for the school I was accepted to this cycle. As far as I was told in the past, if you are charged as a minor, then as an adult these records are expunged. I have done a similar background check for a job, where I said I had not been convicted of any crimes, and I got the job without a problem. My question is, is there a chance this is still on my record, and could that lead to a withdrawal of my acceptance? As I said before, I was a minor at the time and was told it would be cleared from my record..

Any help would do
Thanks

We're not the ones to ask.
 
If the record is expunged they probably will not find anything when they search. Even if they did, I'm doubtful they'd automatically take away your acceptance...but if you are going to bend the truth on the application (if they ask you about past convictions, etc.) I think it would be worthwhile to consult an attorney who can tell you with a high degree of certainty what may turn up on a background check.

Be aware (at least for MD licenses) there are certain states like California that will ask on the license application if you've ever been convicted of any non traffic offenses, even if the record was expunged, etc. I'm not sure how they'd know if someone didn't tell the truth about something that got expunged, though...I mean, expunged means it's no longer there in the record to be seen, I would think.

If your offense was minor, then being brutally honest might be the best policy. Probably nobody is going to care if you smoked a joint once when you were 16. They might care that you lied about it, if you do and they find out.
 
Hi, I had a quick question here. I had a misdemeanor charge as a minor, and am having to go through a background check for the school I was accepted to this cycle. As far as I was told in the past, if you are charged as a minor, then as an adult these records are expunged. I have done a similar background check for a job, where I said I had not been convicted of any crimes, and I got the job without a problem. My question is, is there a chance this is still on my record, and could that lead to a withdrawal of my acceptance? As I said before, I was a minor at the time and was told it would be cleared from my record..

Any help would do
Thanks

Legally, anything that happened before you were 18 is expunged on your 18th birthday, is gone etc. However, yes ... it could technically bounce up somewhere, but as long as you answered the questions honestly ... you're fine.
 
If it were for a violent crime, there may be something to worry about.

Otherwise, you are fine. Background checks are meant to protect vulnerable populations and make sure you can get licensed once you graduate (effectively).
 
You do not have to disclose offenses committed before the age of 18, and I would be surprised if that showed up on a criminal background check. You have nothing to worry about.
 
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