CRIMINAL HARASSMENT CHARGE SEALED FROM REGISTERED NURSE’S RECORD

Client was in a tumultuous relationship with a man who had been cheating on her with several other women. Client’s ex-boyfriend obtained a Harassment Prevention Order (restraining order) against her. The client did not retain an attorney nor contest the restraining order. On the day she was served with the restraining order, the client admitted to police that she violated it by making a phone call to her ex-boyfriend’s current girlfriend. As a result, client was charged with Violation of a Harassment Prevention Order. The client was given a disposition known as Pretrial Probation and her case was dismissed after six months. After her criminal case was dismissed, client retained Attorney Patrick J. Noonan to seal her criminal record. The client was a 52 year-old woman with no other criminal record. She was a Registered Nurse and worked as a Staff Nurse for Children’s Hospital for 30 years. She was named runner-up by the Boston Globe for Nurse of the Year. She made a terminal ill child’s dream of speaking to Ellen DeGeneres come true. When her criminal case was pending, the client left Children’s Hospital. After her criminal case was dismissed, the client applied for over 100 jobs in the nursing field without any success. It was clear that the client’s criminal record was preventing her from getting a job in the nursing field even though she was highly qualified and had a stellar work history. Attorney Noonan filed a Motion to Seal the Client’s Criminal Record pursuant to G.L. c. 276, §100C.

Result: After a hearing in which Attorney Patrick J. Noonan presented compelling evidence, the judge issued an order sealing the client’s criminal record.