There’s nothing worse for your online reputation than having your arrest records posted online. What’s more, the records stay on the internet even if the case against you is dropped, you’re found not guilty of the charges, or you’ve had your criminal record expunged. The records can make it difficult if not impossible to buy a house, find a good job, or get a needed loan.
Thankfully, there are measures you can take to have your records removed from the internet. Following is an overview of what you need to do to clear your name online so you can go on to lead a happy, productive, fulfilling life.
Track the Records
The first step is to find all your arrest records online. If your arrest made local news, start by checking out local news websites. They may not be willing to delete the story but they may be willing to update it so anyone who reads the article can see that you’ve been cleared.
There are also sites that specialize in listing arrest records for easy reference. These include:
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Find Contact Information
Once you have a list of all the sites that have your arrest records up for display online, it’s time to look for contact information for each of these websites. It can often be found on a “privacy policy” page or “about” page. If you can’t locate any contact information on the website itself, try using DomainTools or ICANN to find contact information for a website’s owner.
Get In Touch
Once you have contact information, it’s time to reach out to each website that has your arrest information listed online and ask them to take it down. Along with a polite request, be sure to enclose certified copies of paperwork that shows why your arrest record and mugshot should be removed. A pardon, successful expungement, and evidence showing the case was dropped or you were found not guilty provide a compelling reason for arrest record sites to delete your information.
Be aware that it will take time to reach out to all the site owners, and it will take time for them to respond to your requests. In fact, you may need to write them repeatedly before your records are removed from the net.
Get Professional Help
If you can’t remove your online court records on your own, it’s time to call in the professionals. A reputation management company that handles arrest record removal can help you track and eliminate all appearances of your arrest record online. What’s more, the firm can monitor the net on your behalf to ensure your record doesn’t reappear when you least expect it.
Everyone has a right to privacy, including those who have been wrongfully arrested and those who have paid their debt to society. If your arrest record is causing problems, take measures to have it removed by following the steps outlined above.
