Expungement of criminal record

Once a person pays their debt to society through fines, jail time, or successfully completing probation, it is time to clean up their criminal record. This can be of immense help in several areas: getting jobs, getting an education, and perhaps most importantly, getting peace of mind.

A person who has successfully completed probation shall have the accusations against him or her dismissed and shall be released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the offense, except as specified by law.

This means that once the case is dismissed, the defendant can truthfully assert that they have not been convicted of that offense. There are some exceptions: This does not relieve him or her of the obligation to disclose the conviction in response to any direct question contained in any questionnaire or application for public office, for licensure by any state or local agency, or for contracting with the California State Lottery. However, the benefits of obtaining this relief far outweigh the exceptions.

A juvenile record can be sealed through the juvenile court. Once this has been done, the offense shall be deemed never to have occurred. There are no exceptions to this type of sealing; it is as if the offense never happened.

In the case of certain felony convictions, it is possible to have these reduced to a misdemeanor and then expunged. Other types of record-cleansing include obtaining a certificate of rehabilitation and pardon. Consultation with a criminal defense attorney can help indicate the best course of action to take.

If you or someone you care about is interested in cleaning up a criminal history, please contact a California criminal defense lawyer at once. We are here to help.