Expungement & Pardons

Expungement & Pardons

Removing or Sealing a Criminal Record

To expunge a record is to completely remove or erase it. It isn’t like a legal pardon, which is forgiveness for committing a crime. The court or a judge must order expungement proceedings.

These proceedings happen at the state court level. Once you’ve completed the expungement process, you don’t need to disclose an arrest or conviction when you’re:

• Applying for a job
• Applying for housing
• Applying to school

Eligibility for Expungement

Many factors determine whether you can expunge a criminal record:

• Jurisdiction (where the crime/ charge took place)
• Type of the crime or charge
• Time passed since the arrest or conviction
• Criminal history

Many jurisdictions and states allow the expungement of juvenile records once the minor reaches a specific age (usually age 17 or 18). These laws allow minors accused of juvenile or criminal acts to erase or seal their records. The idea stems from wanting to allow young adults to move forward with a clean slate.

Receiving Total Forgiveness for a Crime

A pardon, on the other hand, exempts someone from a crime. Because they typically assume an offender’s guilt of the offense, pardons symbolically forgive the crime. They do not, however, expunge the conviction. If someone applying for a job is asked to disclose any convictions, they must legally do so. However, they can also include that they were granted a pardon.

Why Choose Us?

Because laws about expungement vary widely and different areas have different requirements, you will want to consult with a criminal defense attorney first. Our legal team will learn all the specifics about your particular case so we can advise you about what’s necessary to expunge your prior conviction.

Set up an expungement consultation.