If you have been arrested, then it can be shocking to learn that your mugshot is now on the Internet. To further add to your damages, the first thing that shows up in a Google search of your name is the mugshot and this is probably something you don’t want anyone to see. It’s not only embarrassing, but it can also be damaging to your reputation. It could ruin employment opportunities and personal relationships since it shows you were involved in a criminal act. Your mugshot still appears even if you had the charges dropped, didn’t commit the crime, or were found not guilty. Online companies want to profit off of this, which is why your mugshot may be on several different websites. You will need to work with a mugshot removal lawyer at Panella Law Firm in order to have your mugshot removed at a reasonable cost and quickly.
The Mugshot Business
In recent years, there are some states that have passed laws to limit posting mugshots. These laws can include prohibiting charging to taking the photos down or prohibiting publishing them altogether. However, in places that don’t have these laws, once a mugshot enters the public record then for-profit websites can grab the photos and post them for the public to see. Even local newspapers generate traffic to their websites by publishing photos.
The Costs of Removal
The cost to remove a mugshot vary depending on what is involved and who is going to handle your case. Keep in mind that mugshot removal websites are unregulated and unlicensed. These websites demand high fees for removal and may not even be able to completely remove the image from the web.
How Long Does Your Mugshot Stay Online?
Your mugshot may stay online forever if you don’t take the steps needed to remove them. Even if you are able to get your records expunged or sealed, your mugshot doesn’t automatically go away. If your records are sealed, it means that the company should take down any trace of the arrest and the case is confidential, but that doesn’t always happen. You do have some legal options and a lawyer can make the difference between having all the mugshots taken down and only a few.
Paying to Get Your Mugshot Removed
It is possible to get the mugshot removed so you may be wondering if you should pay to have it done. It will depend on which sites you use for removal and who you ask. Some sites will do what they advertise, but for the most part, working with third-party removal sites will be a waste. These sites send letters to the sites and may follow up every so often, but it’s not a guarantee for success. The most reliable way to get the mugshot removed is by paying a fee to the actual site. This way, the mugshot site makes money by taking the photo down. A third-party site only has to try and remove the image in order to take money from you. Working with an attorney can help you know what the laws are in your area and help you get the images removed.
If the case was expunged or sealed, then you may also be able to have the image removed for free. If you have a court order to seal the file, including your mugshot, and present this to the website then they will have to take it down or face some legal repercussions. If the case is expunged or sealed, then it will be hard to follow up and confirm the arrest. Expungement usually requires that there be a certain amount of time that has passed. Lawyers can specialize in content removal and send threatening letters to the website in order to get the image removed. If you don’t like negotiating yourself then it could be better to have someone fight for you instead.
Removing Mugshots from Google
Some state laws require that private companies that take payment for removing mugshots take them down within days of receiving the formal request. If the company doesn’t take it down, then you are able to sue, and the judge can impose fines for the time that mugshot is still up. Many websites have changed their own rules to avoid these laws and don’t accept payment for removal, but law firms may still be able to convince the website to take down the mugshot. An experienced law firm understands the information each site needs in order to remove the mugshot, making the process more successful.
