Expungement

At The Justice firm, we realize no one on earth can say he or she has never made a mistake. When you have made a mistake which resulted in a criminal conviction, it is something that you later regret, and that can negatively impact various aspects of your life long after the fact. The biggest problem many people with a criminal record face is employment opportunities, as most employers are hesitant to hire an individual with a criminal record. However, having a 'black mark' on your record may also prevent you from obtaining housing. Our Los Angeles expungement attorneys realize how difficult life can be when you have a criminal conviction on record; we are ready to help.

It may be possible to expunge your case, which essentially means it will be withdrawn from your criminal record. There are a few factors that will determine whether your case is eligible for expungement.

In Los Angeles County as well as other counties in California, most cases are eligible for expungement with the exception of specific felony sex offense violations and some traffic offenses in the Penal Code. However, there have been changes in state law recently which make some offenses eligible for expungement that were not eligible in the past. Your criminal defense lawyer can thoroughly review your case to determine whether your record may be expunged, or if perhaps recent changes in the law may make the charge eligible for expungement pursuant to Penal Code Section 1203.4.

An individual who is currently on formal or informal court probation is not eligible to have his or her case expunged, however you may want to speak with your attorney regarding options that can speed up the process. It may be possible to request early termination of probation by filing a formal Penal Code section 1203.3 Motion, thereby shortening the probation period if a judge determines granting the motion is justified.

When attempting to have your record expunged, the fact of whether the offense was a misdemeanor or felony is critical, as a felony must be reduced to a misdemeanor prior to expungement. When petitioning for an expungement of a felony offense classified as "wobblers" in California (those offenses which can be charged either as a felony or misdemeanor), the offense is reduced to a misdemeanor in conjunction with the expungement; in other words, both processes are as one. Once the offense has been reduced to a misdemeanor, the court may then be petitioned to withdraw a guilty verdict or guilty plea, or to dismiss criminal charges. When a criminal conviction or charge is cleared from your record, employers and others who may request a copy of your record will see you have no criminal conviction. This can be extremely beneficial when applying for employment or housing.

We understand that when an individual has a criminal record, it follows you wherever you go and can create barriers to better employment opportunities. Our Los Angeles expungement lawyers will review your case to determine if you may qualify, thereby giving you a clean slate. We urge you to contact us today at 310-914-2444 for a free consultation regarding your situation.

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