District Attorney announces rebound program

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler has announced the launch of the Orange County District Attorney’s Rebound Program, a program designed to assist people with old criminal convictions to get those convictions sealed from public scrutiny.

Under the program, the District Attorney’s staff will assist people in obtaining and filing in court the appropriate forms to apply for the sealing of certain old convictions.

What won’t be sealed

Not all convictions may be sealed. Among other offenses, the following offenses may not be sealed:

Homicides;

Sex offenses;

Violent felonies, as defined in the Penal Law;

Class A felonies;

Attempts or conspiracies to commit other non-eligible offenses.

Other conditions

In addition, to be eligible to have any offenses sealed, applicants must, among other things, meet the following conditions:

· Be crime-free for at least ten years since their last conviction or release from prison, whichever is later;

· Have two or fewer convictions on their criminal records, with no more than two misdemeanor convictions or one felony and one misdemeanor conviction;

· Have no criminal cases currently pending;

· Be able to demonstrate to a court that sealing is appropriate.

“Criminal convictions can affect people’s lives for a long time,” Hoovler said in the press release detailing the program, “even long after they have turned their lives around. A conviction can prevent a person from getting a job, or from otherwise succeeding in life.

“Under the Rebound Program, my staff will assist those with old criminal convictions to use legal processes to have those convictions sealed from public scrutiny, so that those convictions don’t become an insurmountable barrier to someone’s future,” the district attorney added. “Hopefully, the program will allow people to move forward with their lives, free from some of the obstacles that a criminal conviction can raise.”

Essentials

For further information about the District Attorney’s Rebound Program, contact Robert Conflitti, counsel to the District Attorney, at (845) 291-2050 or by email to DACommunityAffairs@orangecountygov.com.

NOTE: Participation in the Rebound Program will not create an attorney-client relationship between the applicant and the District Attorney’s Office.

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