Dismissed and Sealed Domestic Violence Assault - Arizona
domestic violence attorney Arizona Aug 1, 2026
Location: Arizona I'm a 25F in my senior year of college, majoring in Management Information Systems, with a 3.8 GPA. As graduation gets closer, I'm becoming increasingly anxious about what employment will look like for me. In 2022, when I was 21, I was arrested after a physical fight with my younger sister, who was 18 at the time. I completed a diversion program, the charges were dismissed, and under Arizona law I was able to have the case sealed, which I did. Because the case was dismissed and sealed, I'm not sure whether it would still appear on more extensive background checks. This is something no one in my life knows about, not even my sister. It was completely out of character for me, and it's not something anyone who knows me would ever expect. Since then, my sister and I became very close. She even named her daughter after me. I don't hold any resentment toward her for calling the police. At the time, she believed it was the right thing to do. What I'm struggling with now is the fear of how this could affect my future. My goal is to work in tech consulting, ideally for a large company. Will this prevent me from working at major corporations? Could it affect my ability to work for the government or obtain a security clearance if I ever wanted to? This is, without question, the biggest regret of my life. I think about it constantly, and it genuinely keeps me up at night. I know what I did was wrong, and I take full responsibility for it. At the same time, it truly is not a reflection of who I am or how I've lived my life before or since. I don't believe anything like this would ever happen again. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Were you still able to build a successful career? Is there anything else I can do legally? I'd really appreciate any advice or personal experiences.
