File Expungement and Sealing

File Expungement Defense Lawyer in Los Angeles

A criminal record can follow you everywhere you go. It can affect how much you pay for car insurance, whether or not you can get the job you want, and even whether or not you can get into a specific college or educational program. Many offenders have been charged and convicted of a single crime, sometimes years and years ago. It may be DUI or a drug possession, and since then, you have had no legal issues whatsoever. When this is the case, or your situation is similar, it is possible to have your record expunged. This, however, does not leave you with a clean record. It still shows the charge, but shows no conviction.

Many crimes like these occurred before the individual turned 18 years old. Some believe that their juvenile record is automatically sealed, but this simply is not the case. In fact, juvenile convictions stay on your record in the state of California until you are 38 years old. However, you can petition the court to have your record sealed.

In either case, would you know where to begin in requesting that your record be expunged or sealed? Do you know what to do if you are turned down. A record expungement or sealing is really not that complicated if you have a skilled, experienced defense attorney on your side. A file expungement and sealing defense attorney understands the system and knows what must be done to get your record sealed or expunged. He will also know how to follow up to make sure that it is done properly. This prevents future surprises.

Offenses that can be expunged from your record include the following:

  • DUI
  • Drug possession
  • Petty theft
  • Domestic violence

There are more, but in order for the offense to be eligible for expungement, it must be a misdemeanor, it must not have required any jail time, and you must have proven yourself by making that an isolated incident. It is very difficult to have your record expunged if you are a repeat offender; the courts must see that you made a singular mistake.

Securing a defense attorney can help ensure that your rights are protected, your request for expungement or sealing is recognized and heard, and that things are handled expeditiously This is in your best interest not only because it gets the job done, but also because it will save you money in legal fees and court costs.