The client carried a 1992 Class 4 felony forgery conviction that kept surfacing on background checks. Future First handled the Maricopa Sealing Records Forgery petition and the court sealed the case under ARS § 13-911.
At a glance
| Original conviction | Forgery (ARS § 13-2002), Class 4 Felony, 1992 |
| Application filed | Sealing Records Application (ARS § 13-911), 2025 |
| Court | Maricopa County Superior Court |
| Result | Records sealed |
| Rights restored | Civil and firearm rights previously restored by a 2017 set aside |
| Time from application to grant | 127 days from application filing to granted |
The challenge
The client carried a 1992 Class 4 felony forgery conviction under ARS § 13-2002. A felony record, even one that is decades old, follows a person through every job application, every housing screen, and every professional license check. A forgery conviction is a crime of dishonesty, which makes it especially damaging in financial, banking, and any role that involves trust with money or records.
The client had already secured a set aside through prior counsel in 2017, which restored civil and firearm rights. A set aside helps, but it does not hide the record. The conviction still appeared in court databases and on commercial background reports. The only way to remove it from public view is to seal it.
What we did
Future First filed the petition to seal under ARS § 13-911 in the Maricopa County Superior Court. The petition laid out the client’s eligibility, the age of the case, the completed sentence, and the 2017 set aside that preceded it. The Maricopa Sealing Records Forgery petition asked the court to seal all records of the arrest, the charge, the conviction, and the sentence.
The court granted the petition and sealed the case. After sealing, the client can lawfully state on most applications that the arrest and conviction did not occur. The record no longer appears on standard background checks.
The client had previously secured the set aside through prior counsel in 2017. Future First handled the next step: the Maricopa Sealing Records Forgery petition that closed the record to the public under ARS § 13-911.
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If you have an old conviction in Arizona
Arizona’s record sealing law, ARS § 13-911, took effect in 2023. It lets people seal arrest, charge, conviction, and sentencing records once they meet the eligibility rules and the waiting period for their offense. Sealing is stronger than a set aside. A set aside notes that the case was dismissed after completion; sealing closes the record to public view.
The waiting period runs from the completion of the sentence and depends on the class of the offense. Older cases like this 1992 forgery are often well past any waiting period, which makes them strong candidates for sealing. Prior relief like a set aside does not block a later sealing petition.
Every case is different. The court looks at the offense, the time since completion, and any later criminal history. A clean record after the conviction strengthens the petition.
Related resources
Call us
Want to clear your record in Arizona? Call Future First Criminal Law at 602-900-6240 or request a free consultation. We have handled hundreds of Arizona record removal applications across every statute path. The cleanup is permanent and the process moves faster when handled by a firm that knows the local court.
Anonymized in line with firm policy. Client name not used. Specific dates approximated to year only. Outcome described reflects this client’s actual results. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results. For more detailed information on Arizona record removal law, visit the Arizona State Legislature website.
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