The Canadian Government has recently changed the law. You no longer apply for a pardon in Canada but rather an application is made for a record suspension. Our experienced Surrey criminal lawyers can assist you with all Criminal Record Suspension applications.

A criminal conviction, even a very old one, can negatively impact your life in a variety of ways. A criminal records suspension has the effect of sealing your record so that any search of the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) will not show that you had a criminal record or that you were issued a suspension.

To be eligible for a record suspension, you must finish your sentence and then wait a specified period of time. How long you have to wait depends on whether you were convicted of an indictable offence or a summary conviction offence. In the case of summary conviction offences, you must wait five years from the completion of your sentence. If you were convicted of an indictable offence, the waiting period is ten years from the completion of your sentence.

You do not have to be a lawyer to apply for a pardon. However, an experienced criminal lawyer can provide invaluable assistance through the application process and avoid the potential consequences of mishandling a pardon application.

The lawyers at Stern Shapray, Criminal Lawyers, Surrey criminal lawyers, have experience managing record suspension applications and can assist you with obtaining a criminal record suspension. If you are interested in applying for a record suspension, please contact our office for a free and confidential consultation.