In New York, anyone convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanor loses some rights. One of those rights is the right to hold public office, including as a police officer. Fortunately, the state of New York offers several options to restore the rights of a person who has been convicted of a crime but has gotten their life back on track. One of these options, the Certificate of Good Conduct, allows a person with a criminal record to seek public office.
What is a Certificate of Good Conduct?
A Certificate of Good Conduct (CGC) is a certificate that removes legal disabilities from persons convicted of offenses in New York. This is different from record sealing, which makes a criminal record unavailable for anyone except certain legal authorities to view. A CGC does not hide a person’s record, but it does restore certain rights, including the right to hold public office. To apply for a CGC, a person must wait a certain amount of time since his/her last conviction or imprisonment (1 year for a misdemeanor; 3 years for a class C, D, or E felony; 5 years for a class A or B felony) and have good conduct in the community during the waiting period. (see below) It’s important to note that the state does not have to grant every application for a CGC. Even if the state does grant the application, it may only restore some, but not all, lost legal rights. For that reason, it’s best to have an attorney help with the application. An attorney can make sure the paperwork is filed correctly and make the best arguments to restore all of a person’s legal rights.Waiting Period To Apply For A Certificate Of Good Conduct:
- Misdemeanor: 1 year
- Felony (class C, D, or E): 3 years
- Felony (class A or B): 5 years