Good Cause Exception Application Requirements

When applying for Good Cause Exception, there is a list of application requirements you must meet. The list below shows the requirements for a Good Cause Exception Application for an Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card. It is the application the Arizona Board of Fingerprinting assesses when you apply for a good cause exception or central registry exception. 

An applicant must comply with a fairly comprehensive application package. Failure to submit a complete application package will delay the process and will not result in an expedited review. One question asked frequently is how long does a good cause exception take? It may also ultimately result in the denial of the application.

Necessary Components of Good Cause Exception Application Package

Below are the necessary components of the application package:

• APPLICATION FORM. Individuals looking for good cause exceptions need to complete the entire application. It means answering all questions. Moreover, it requires a statement from the applicant and each arrest on one’s criminal record. Within the form, you can also mention any positive lifestyle changes. Remember to sign the form and have it notarized.
• LETTERS OF REFERENCE FROM TWO SOURCES. Applicants must have letters of reference from two sources. Letters of reference: be done by someone who has known the applicant for a minimum of one (1) year. An applicant’s current employer or someone who has known the applicant for three (3) years can also complete a form. Please note that the applicant must complete a minimum of two (2) letters of reference. The former may submit more letters of reference.
• EVIDENCE THAT THE APPLICANT HAS COMPLETED HIS SENTENCING TERMS. Applicants must prove they have completed their sentencing terms: probation, pardon, parole, restitution, counseling, educational service classes, incarceration, or community service. They must also supply a document evidencing its completion. Note: If the applicant still needs to complete the sentencing requirements, the former should furnish a written statement of such progress accomplished. It includes a Personal Statement describing each incident.
• POLICE REPORTS. Applicants must provide a police report for each arrest within five (5) years from the denial or suspension of the fingerprint clearance. Regardless of conviction, even if the arrest did not manifest in the DPS letter, it must be included. Please note this may only apply to some applicants.
• DISPOSITION INFORMATION. If the applicant’s suspension or denial letter indicated that DPS could not look for the disposition of an arrest, the applicant must provide court documentation specifying such disposition. If the applicant contacts the proper court and states it has no record, the former should obtain a written statement from the latter indicating it has no record.
• ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES / CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES. Applicants must disclose whether they have a standing allegation of abuse and/or neglect of a child or adult. In Arizona, the child-welfare agency is more commonly known as Child Protective Services (CPS), and the adult counterpart is Adult Protective Services (APS). If the applicant has an allegation of a child or adult abuse/neglect, the applicant must contact CPS or APS. Once you get one of the agencies, you must request a copy of the final report on the allegation. Documents and explanations of the allegations are sent to the Board.

Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card

What is required in a good cause exception application in Arizona? 

First, let us talk about a good cause exception if you are applying for an Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card or have one. Then you have passed a criminal arrest or criminal history, you’ll immediately be denied that card and have to ask for a good cause exception. There is an application that you can fill out and \file with the Board of Fingerprinting here in Arizona. 

They will take that application to expedited review and decide if they want to grant you the card or if your good cause exception would go to a hearing with an administrative law judge, which would later be granted. Therefore, you can obtain your Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card.

Basic Requirements for a Good Exception Application

What is required by this application?

We can walk through the basic requirements. Also, our firm handles these applications for clients, or this is something that you could also do yourself. You don’t have to have an attorney, but it is something that we do handle here for our clients.

Let’s walk through the significant parts of the application or the requirements. The first part is just personal information. So, who are you? You must disclose all your date of birth, social security, and all sorts of identifiers on your application.

Next, you go into your criminal history. Any arrest gets flagged on your denial letter when you need a good cause exception. So, you must disclose the disposition of that case. They want to ensure that you’re not waiting for a trial or that there’s nothing pending. If the arrest was within five years, you must attach any police reports. If it’s after five years, you need all of the official court documents.

So, the arrest, the charges, the conviction, the sentence, and when you fulfilled your sentence. Again, if all charges were dropped, that would also need to be reflected in the court documents.

Disclosing Criminal History

One thing to remember is that they need the official court documents, so they must have the official seal. It is something that comes up a lot with our clients. They may have old records, but they’re not authorized, and the good cause exception application requirements require that they are official documents. That’s another reason why people retain us so that we can handle that and ensure that you have the records for each arrest stage.

Also, under criminal history, there is a duty to disclose any criminal history that your denial letter has reflected. It is crucial because the Board is asking you to tell. So, the applicant must disclose any misdemeanor, felony, or any of that in the criminal history. You also must supply any court documents or police reports I just stated.

Also, there will need to be a written statement about those arrests. Here you would want to give the Board a clear picture of what happened and sum up the events, and if any other circumstances would provide the Board a clear vision. Maybe there were some substance abuse issues, and perhaps you were in an abusive relationship at the time or things like that.

You may want to disclose the criminal history so that the Board gets a clear picture. And what you’ve done since your criminal record. So, if you have done any substance abuse treatment or any other type of rehabilitation, you would also want to disclose that in that statement. Also, there is a part where you must reveal any substantiated claims with APS or DCS. So, the Department of Child Services and then also Adult Protective Services.

If you were ever investigated for any claims of child or adult abuse or elder abuse, you would need to disclose that as well. You would also have to attach documents to your application and notify the Board if you have any personal licenses. If you are a licensed nurse, doctor, teacher, realtor, or anything like that, you must also disclose that information.

Lastly, your application does have to be notarized.

These steps are essential because if you incorrectly disclose something, check a wrong box, or forget to tell something that you should have at the expedited review, they may decide to take that application and put it or send it to the hearing department.

Good Cause Exception Application Hearing

If that happens, you have to go before an administrative law judge to correct your application, state your case—things like that. That takes a long time. The expedited review takes 20 days, but if it gets sent to a hearing, it takes 45 days for the hearing. And after the hearing, it’s an additional 80 days. So, you must fill out this application to the best of your ability.

There is also another requirement on the application. You have to have at least two letters of reference, and they have all the information on the application of how to include it, but you also have to have that as well. You can have more than two, but two is the minimum.

If you’re interested in setting up a consultation with Chelle Law, or learning more about the Good Cause Exception Application Requirements, reach out to us today.