I run into a lot of different types of people in my job but a large majority of individuals I help have little to no criminal history when they first contact me. In a lot of situations a person will make a mistake and end up with their first criminal charge and that results in a lot of fear and anxiety mixed into an already confusing criminal justice system. Once the criminal process is resolved a lot of people would like to make it so no one can find out about it. Criminal charges usually highlight a difficult point of someones life and not only do they want to forget it and move on, they don’t want it to continue to negatively affect their lives. Due to these desires expungement is often a very requested and sought after process.
Expungement Eligibility
If you only have one or two different criminal cases you’re most likely good to go, once you get past that though you’ll probably want to call in and check to see if you’re eligible.
What is Expungement?
Expungement is the process by which an individual can have their criminal history wiped clean. It basically means erasing your criminal record. Depending on what charges a person has on their record their are different rules for eligibility but the basic process is that once an individual is eligible for expungement an application is submitted and once processed letters are sent out to the different government agencies to seal their records. Most criminal offenses are expungeable if an individual only has a couple of criminal episodes however there are some offenses that can never be expunged such as felony DUI, registerable sex offense, registerable child abuse offense, or felony automobile homicide. If you would like to expunge your criminal record but you’re not sure if you’re eligible or what the process would be give us a call today for some free information on what you can do to get a clean slate.
Expunging an Arrest Record
In some cases a person is able to have their charges dismissed, either at the beginning of the case due to evidentiary issues, or after a successful plea in abeyance period. If the case is dismissed then there is no conviction to expunge, however some background checks will still show that the individual was charged with a crime. To truly get a clean slate, individuals in this situation should expunge their arrest record as well. The process is very similar to expunging a conviction record and at the end of the process no one will be able to see that you were even arrested/cited/charged with the crime.
Contact Me for Help
Instead of giving yourself the stress and headache of the expungement process you should call Peterson Legal to help you resolve your cases and get your record clean. Call, email, or text today for more info on how I can help you.