oldandlost
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
I was charged and convicted of battery on school campus (felony) in California in 1990. I was 18 at the time. I have kept on the straight and narrow since. Served my country. Graduated from college. Work in health care. Happy family. All that. I attempted to have that 1990 conviction expunged 4 years ago and was unable to find any record of it ever happening. I requested a search twice, had my fingerprints taken, spent the money, the whole nine yards. Nothing showed up. The lawyer that was handling my expungement(?) told me that if no record exists, there is no reason to divulge the arrest or conviction on job applications. It's as if it didnt happen.
Now I am looking at a job with the veterans administration. They do an FBI background check, apparently, and I dont know what to do. I dont want to lie and lose my chance at a great job. I also dont want to lose the chance at a great job by admitting to a crime that effectively never happened according to the state of California. I feel like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place because I can't get the conviction legally expunged and it has put me in the odd position of struggling to prove I was convicted of something there is no record of when I am honest on applications.
Any advice?
I was charged and convicted of battery on school campus (felony) in California in 1990. I was 18 at the time. I have kept on the straight and narrow since. Served my country. Graduated from college. Work in health care. Happy family. All that. I attempted to have that 1990 conviction expunged 4 years ago and was unable to find any record of it ever happening. I requested a search twice, had my fingerprints taken, spent the money, the whole nine yards. Nothing showed up. The lawyer that was handling my expungement(?) told me that if no record exists, there is no reason to divulge the arrest or conviction on job applications. It's as if it didnt happen.
Now I am looking at a job with the veterans administration. They do an FBI background check, apparently, and I dont know what to do. I dont want to lie and lose my chance at a great job. I also dont want to lose the chance at a great job by admitting to a crime that effectively never happened according to the state of California. I feel like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place because I can't get the conviction legally expunged and it has put me in the odd position of struggling to prove I was convicted of something there is no record of when I am honest on applications.
Any advice?