Get Expungement Application

Only juvenile charges/convictions may be expunged. Adults can seal records for both misdemeanor and felony offenses after a 10 year waiting period in most cases. ... Expungement available only if no convictions or have not pled guilty to any type of criminal offense. Expungement one time only.

For the most part, private employers, landlords and others who perform a background check on you will not find your expunged records. After your record is expunged, in most states you are legally permitted to answer "no" when asked about criminal records on employment or rental applications.

Expunged vs Sealed Records When a court expunges a conviction or trial record, the public does not have access and the defendant retains the right to not disclose the case when asked about his/her criminal history. Sealed cases are not eligible for disclosure in most pre-employment background checks.

Once your record has been expunged, you do not have to tell anyone that you were ever arrested or that you had a criminal record. ... Unless the law specifically requires you to disclose expunged or sealed records when you are applying for an occupational license or certificate, you don't have to.

While you may truthfully testify under oath that you have never been convicted of a crime when your record has in fact been expunged, the government still maintains evidence of your conviction and may use it against you in the narrow and specific circumstances allowed by state law, such as the situations described ...

The courts perform work on a first come, first serve basis. So the sooner a petition is filed, the sooner it will be reviewed. Since the timing of the process varies from state to state and by case, a general estimate of the time it takes to have a criminal record expunged can be anywhere from 2-6 months.

Find out whether you're eligible for an expungement. Visit your state's courthouse or court website to find out what requirements you must fulfill. ... File a petition for expungement. ... Consider working with an attorney.It is a good idea to hire an attorney to help you navigate this process.

It is common for most county criminal courts to provide only 7-10 years of record information.

Non-convictions, including arrests, are reportable for seven years. Convictions can be reported without any limitation. The exception here is when felons have had their records expunged or sealed at the time of the background check. These records would not appear on a background check.

Generally, if a criminal record is expunged or sealed, it's as though the crime never occurred and you can legally say (to a potential employer, for example) that you were never charged or convicted of a crime. State laws vary tremendously as to which conviction and arrest records can be expunged.

Most law firms charge between $900-$1500.00 for a record sealing or expungement and charge you extra for attorney travel, mailing costs, copying costs, etc. We doubt you will find a lower flat fee.

Requirements for Getting a Juvenile Record Sealed For your juvenile record to be sealed, you usually must be at least 18 when you petition for sealing a criminal record, or five years must have elapsed since you served your penalty or probation term.

Sealed records are technically still there, but they are no longer part of the public record and can only be accessed and reviewed by way of a formal court order. ... Expunged and sealed records can sometimes show up on criminal background checks.

When your record is expunged, it is as if the offense never happened. Your record is removed or destroyed, and it not available for anyone to access, even by court order. As with a sealed record, you can legally deny the existence of that the events that were on the record.

From the time you apply for the expungement at the Solicitor's Office until you receive the expungement order, it can take up to six months.