[wolfen]

My husband and I started in expediting a few months ago with one of the Big 3. My husband had a DUI in 1985, also a misd. marijuana possession from same time period. I had only the misd. marijuana possession charge on my record.

The company told my husband he would have to apply for a Canadian pardon or rehabilitation and gave him Lucy Perillos number to call. She told us it would cost $800? to get the pardon, of that I assume approx $200 goes to the Canadian authorites for the pardon.

I had made calls to Canada seeking info before this and was told it was judged on an individual case by case and from the sound of it we could both be approved for CDRP and FAST without a pardon because it had been so long since convictions.

We decided to give this a try, the CDRP app is a free one and we had the company send off both of our CDRP apps in orientation to see what would happen before spending money to apply for FAST.

The results were like this, I got a letter saying I am approved for my CDRP (note my misdemeanor marijuana charge, 1985 which was fully disclosed on the CDRP app). My husband was disqualified because he had TWO convictions, the poss. and DUI.

I called the number on his letter to discuss applying for pardon. I spoke with the officer who reviewed his CDRP app and she told me he would simply need to complete the pardon paperwork and submit to them with $180 Canadian or approx $200 US and if all was complete on the app it should take about 2-3 months for approval. She said she saw no need to hire an attorney and pay the fee for that as long as we could complete the paperwork and gather the needed records to send along with the app.

We are still in the process of doing this. Here are the things you will need in addition to app and the obvious like forms of ID, etc.

1. Copies of your court records from the courthouse where the conviction occurred (i.e criminal records check), when they are this old courthouse may have on microfilm or archived out somewhere like his was, took them about a week to find records.

2. Proof of some kind, letter, etc. showing all fines, sentences, etc were completed after conviction. In his case courthouse did NOT have this so visited probation/parole office who handled his probation. They had no paper records either after so long but were able to look him up on their computer and could simply show dates he was released from probation. They gave us a print out of this but would not sign or notarize or make it official in any way so dont know if this will work or not yet.

3. 2 sets of inked-rolled fingerprints from your local sheriffs dept., should be free for use in obtaining criminal background checks

4. state criminal background check, submitted $14? money order along with set of fingerprints and necessary ID info and cover letter to SBI. We have that back, ironically showing no records, lol.

5. FBI criminal background check, submitted $18?? money order with the other set of fingerprints and another cover letter, still waiting on them to process, website says allow 6-8 wks. We have, so I sent them an email and they assure me the info is on the way but we still wait.

Once we get all those in hand I can then submit app and more money and wait some more. But its still cheaper than the attorney. All that records gathering is what you paying the attorney for, although I was told by others the attorney will hand carry your app to various offices to get faster approval so your app wont just lie on a desk up there. We will take our chances however. In the meantime our company doesnt send us to Canada and havent reduced the per mile rate for the truck since we are working on the pardon.

Almost forgot, another thing u will need is a copy of the applicable U.S. laws or statutes pertaining to your conviction, can be found online or obtained at a public library usually but in our case the law has changed since his conviction and I cant even find the exact crime (misd. violation of drug laws) online or the library. I will have to got to a law library to find copies of the old laws or so I was told by a lawyer in my state.

Hope this helps.

[ron]

I got a "Misdemeanor Conviction" in Sept 2005. First major accident I have ever been in 38yrs.of over the road driving. I learned that you don't file complaints against the Ohio State Police for favoring one local driver over and out of state truck driver. He ran a red light into the rear of my truck.The Ohio State Police retaliated by requesting to my State of Michigan,that I not be allowed to have a CDL again.I can't even drive in the US,let alone Canada. "Just because the Police say your a crimminal,doesn't make you one". The Police got the only job I know where you can tell a lie about someone,and get away with it. They can hide their dishonesty behind their badge. Misdemeanors are major convictions to trucking companys,as their insurance will go up.

[alborada]

I agree with you. I am thing than in USA existing a law from 200 years ago , when the England get in and di the war with a Native. This is radiculase if some oen have a just a little misteke or somthing happend bad - don't mean that this person is bad and he/she is a criminal. In Europa after 10 years in most country this criminal record it is clesr, but in are country stay forevar like you are now from other planet or some special religion. I don't like this law this is aginst the freedom of people and we talk - free country, no is not , even the air in this country is not a free we pay for brithing............Godd luck for all of this , but this is only the money and problems to inosent people, tahy have to go over the real criminal not only in the small inosent people...........