A recent article in the Huffington Post described a woman, employed by a major bank for over 5 years, who was fired because of a charge on her criminal record from 1972. This was forty years ago and it still came back to haunt her.
There is no time limit on when you can seal or expunge an arrest record. If you were arrested in the 1960s or 1970s and would now like to get the arrest off of your record, you may be able to. The passage of time does not prevent you from cleaning a record.
If you are otherwise eligible, you may be able to seal or expunge an arrest that is 20, 30, or even 40 years old. I have routinely helped clients seal or expunge arrests from the 1990s, 1980s, and even 1970s.
Employers may conduct random background checks that may bring up your old arrest record. And if you are seeking employment, you may have to disclose an old arrest if you have not already sealed or expunged it. Just because it's been 30 years since you were arrested doesn't mean that the record goes away. In the electronic age, records can be preserved forever.
If you are interested in sealing or expunging an old criminal case in Florida, call me.