Qualifying for Expungement

Southern California Expungement Lawyer

When a person has a criminal record, he or she may have limited opportunities in regard to employment, education, finances and housing. When asked on a job application or in other situations whether he or she has a criminal record, the answer will be "yes." But what if there was a way to clear a conviction from your criminal record? Expungement offers a person just that.

Expungement works by essentially clearing a conviction from a criminal record. To do this, the person with the record petitions the court to have a guilty verdict, guilty plea or plea of no contest removed and the case dismissed. However, not everyone will qualify for expungement. To qualify for expungement in Southern California, there are particular guidelines that must be met. Following is a brief description of expungement in regard to misdemeanor and felony convictions in Southern California:

Misdemeanor Expungement - A misdemeanor conviction may be expunged from a criminal record after the defendant has completed the terms of his or her probation. If you plead guilty or no contest and did not receive probation, however, you may be able to seek expungement one year after the date that you entered your plea.

Felony Expungement - Whether you are able to expunge a felony conviction will vary depending on the particular case. If you served probation and were not incarcerated in state prison, you may be able to expunge your felony conviction after serving the full term of your probation. In some situations, we may be able to have a felony conviction reduced to a misdemeanor where it may then be expunged.

Clearing Criminal Records in Los Angeles, California

To learn more about how a Los Angeles expungement attorney at our offices can help you clear your criminal record, do not hesitate to call us or contact us online. We can answer your questions about qualifying for expungement and can address any concerns you have in order to help you through this often complex process.

Contact a Southern California expungement lawyer at the Law Offices of Jonathan C. Rosen today!