jetcareers - View Single Post

BigPoppa · April 17th, 2008, 02:21

I read every thread that showed up in a search on background checks, and this particular issue was never brought up.

Short Version:
I have two felony arrests (both for theft, both over 15 years ago) on my record. In both cases, the charges were thrown out without a trial (not plea-bargained, dropped altogether). They have been expunged, but apparently still show up on a government background check (this kept me from getting a substitute teaching gig years ago).

Will this keep me from getting a pilot's license?
If I get a license, will this preclude me from getting a job?

Long version:
Until recently, it was possible for anyone to get anyone else arrested in my hometown of Nashville TN. All you had to do was go down to the courthouse and swear out a warrant for their arrest. They required no corroboration, nor evidence. They would get a warrant and the police would come pick you up. As you can guess, this was greatly abused. People were constantly getting each arrested out of spite (which is why you can't do this anymore). They would just drop the charges if there was no basis for them (which there normally wasn't). So a lot of people ended up with an arrest on their record for no reason at all.
This happened to me twice: once in a civil dispute, where the charges were thrown out before trial when the DA realized they were BS; once in retaliation for someone else's arrest, when the charges were dropped for failure to prosecute (person who swore out the warrant never appeared in court).
I've gotten both these arrests expunged from the public record, but they're still in the FBI computers. Years after the fact, I tried to be a substitute teacher. These arrests showed up on the background check and kept me from getting the job. My appeals and explanations were considered irrelevant. This derailed my plans for being a schoolteacher (never finished my student teaching).
I really don't want to set my heart on a flying career and have it broken again. Nor do I want to spend a ton of money training again for something I can't be hired to do.

April 17th, 2008, 02:21	#1
BigPoppa Newbie Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Daytona (beachside) Posts: 14	Background check question I read every thread that showed up in a search on background checks, and this particular issue was never brought up. Short Version: I have two felony arrests (both for theft, both over 15 years ago) on my record. In both cases, the charges were thrown out without a trial (not plea-bargained, dropped altogether). They have been expunged, but apparently still show up on a government background check (this kept me from getting a substitute teaching gig years ago). Will this keep me from getting a pilot's license? If I get a license, will this preclude me from getting a job? Long version: Until recently, it was possible for anyone to get anyone else arrested in my hometown of Nashville TN. All you had to do was go down to the courthouse and swear out a warrant for their arrest. They required no corroboration, nor evidence. They would get a warrant and the police would come pick you up. As you can guess, this was greatly abused. People were constantly getting each arrested out of spite (which is why you can't do this anymore). They would just drop the charges if there was no basis for them (which there normally wasn't). So a lot of people ended up with an arrest on their record for no reason at all. This happened to me twice: once in a civil dispute, where the charges were thrown out before trial when the DA realized they were BS; once in retaliation for someone else's arrest, when the charges were dropped for failure to prosecute (person who swore out the warrant never appeared in court). I've gotten both these arrests expunged from the public record, but they're still in the FBI computers. Years after the fact, I tried to be a substitute teacher. These arrests showed up on the background check and kept me from getting the job. My appeals and explanations were considered irrelevant. This derailed my plans for being a schoolteacher (never finished my student teaching). I really don't want to set my heart on a flying career and have it broken again. Nor do I want to spend a ton of money training again for something I can't be hired to do.