One of the worst consequences of a criminal conviction is the creation of a permanent record. A criminal record can affect your ability to get or keep your job, vote, and to rent or buy a house. A criminal record even affect your personal relationships with others and your ability to find a spouse. However there is good news, recent changes to the Expunction laws are allowing persons who would otherwise never qualify for an expungement to receive one now. Expungement sometimes called an expunction, involves petitioning the court system to have a criminal record removed from public view.

Generally, expunctions are going to fall into one of these categories:

• Felony first offenses more than 10 years ago.

• Misdemeanor first offenses more than 5 years ago.

• First offenses committed before the individual turned 18/22 years old.

• Charges that were dismissed or the individual was found not guilty.

However, there are several limitations.

• Certain high-level Felonies are NOT eligible.

• Convictions that involve crimes of violence are NOT eligible (Assaults of any kind). 

• DWI Convictions can NOT be expunged.

• Prior convictions will generally (but not always) prevent eligibility.