2 Questions You May Have About Expungement

Do you have a felony or misdemeanor charge on your criminal record that you are looking to have expunged? If so, you likely have questions about the process and what this actually means for you in the long term if the expungement is successful. Here are some things you need to know before moving forward.

What Kind Of Charges Can Be Expunged? 

Every state is different when it comes to what kind of charges are even allowed to be expunged, with some states being more lenient than others. However, there are some common themes between them. For example, it is common for charges related to sex offenses and DUIs to remain on your criminal record and not be eligible for expungement. Meanwhile, a state may allow a sex offense to be removed from your record, but only if you are removed from the sex offender registry. That's why it's important to talk to a lawyer about expungement. They'll let you know if you are even eligible for it and what prerequisites must be met before moving forward. 

One of the more common reasons that people seek expungement is to remove previous convictions for marijuana use and possession that were from before the drug was legalized in their state. Once again, it's important to make sure that you understand what the requirements are for this type of crime to be expunged. It can be difficult if a possession charge was related to another violent crime committed with the drug possession. 

Who Can See An Expungement Attorney?

Know that an expungement attorney knows that a criminal charge does not go away forever. For the general public, an expungement means that others will not be able to see your conviction when doing background checks on you. Keep in mind that the charge will still remain on your criminal record for law enforcement purposes.

For example, you may be looking to have a DUI charge expunged so that it no longer shows up on background checks when applying to driving-related jobs. The expungement would prevent employers from seeing it on your record when performing a background check, but it would still be on your criminal record. If you were to get another DUI after the expungement, the original DUI will be considered when a judge is determining sentencing for the second DUI. 

Reach out to an expungement attorney for more information about correcting your criminal record.