Many employers and professional organizations in Calgary use the Calgary online criminal records check system when they do background checks on prospective applicants and employees. These businesses and agencies often set up their own policies and protocols regarding these criminal record checks. In some instances, employers and other organizations will not hire individuals with criminal records and/or criminal convictions to work or volunteer.

Criminal record and background checks are also sometimes needed for immigration, educational, lending, and travel purposes. Certain items will always show up when someone performs a criminal background check on you. The experienced Calgary criminal defence lawyers at Bourdon Defence can take steps to help you avoid a criminal record or conviction in the first place and avoid the negative consequences associated with a bad criminal record.

Items That Regularly Appear on Calgary Criminal Records

If you have been charged with or convicted of a crime under the Criminal Code of Canada, you will have a criminal record in the system. This is true unless you are able to obtain an expungement at some point along the line. Since criminal records are, for the most part, easily accessible online, you can bet that prospective employers, educational institutions, lenders, and others will perform a background check on you prior to making a decision. Items that routinely appear on criminal background checks include the following:

• Open criminal warrants - If you have an open warrant, such as an arrest warrant, in the system, that warrant will show up during an online criminal background check.
• Criminal charges - If you were charged with or arrested for a criminal offence, that will also show up online. This is true even if you were never convicted and even if the Crown prosecutor decided not to prosecute your criminal charge.
• Open cases and court dates - If you have an open or pending criminal case, charge, or court date, that will show up during an online records search.
• Stays and diversions - If a court has stayed or diverted your criminal case, the charge can still appear in online databases for one year.
• Case discharges - Absolute discharges of a criminal case can remain online for one year, while conditional discharges of a criminal case can appear in a criminal background check for a period of three years.
• Sex offences - If you have been charged or convicted of a Calgary sex crime, your name will likely appear online as part of the sex offender registry.

Talk to a Criminal Defence Lawyer in Calgary Today

Calgary criminal charges and convictions can make it difficult for you to move on with your life—especially since they are readily accessible online. The criminal defence lawyers at Bourdon Defence will do everything possible to minimize the consequences (and online presence of a criminal charge or conviction). To schedule a case evaluation and free legal consultation with a skilled criminal defence lawyer in Calgary, please call us today at (403) 474-4143, or contact us online.