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Clean Slate Applications
The Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act became law in 2004. Now, if you commit a minor offence like shoplifting or drink driving, that offence (along with any other of a like type that preceded it) will be concealed after seven years.
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All your criminal convictions will however show again if you get another conviction.
Effectively this means that your criminal record is not able to be seen by others and it is also unlawful for you to be asked to provide such records for most purposes. Usually this applies in employment situations. Read more about the Act and its application here
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For more serious offences, the Act doesn’t apply - and never applies if a prison sentence has been imposed.
However, we have sought and successfully obtained orders concealing serious offence convictions now in several cases. In fact, Roderick Mulgan was the first lawyer in New Zealand to successfully obtain such an order. Read More here
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If you would like to know more, watch this video where Dr Mulgan explains the Clean Slate Law, and the circumstances in which even a serious criminal conviction may be concealed.
​To find out more, including an informative video explaining what options are available to you, visit Roderick's dedicated website
Your main Rubicon Chambers contact for Clean Slate Applications matters is
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