Expungement or Sealing of Adult Criminal Records

Because having a criminal record can wreak havoc in your life, whether it’s with an employer or landlord or any other similar situation, you might be able to clean up your record through a process called expungement, or expunction. Expungement refers to the process of destroying, erasing or sealing arrest or conviction records. Once an arrest or conviction has been expunged, it does not need to be disclosed including to most potential employers.

Whether or not your record qualifies for expungement depends on the following factors: whether you were actually convicted of a crime, if you were convicted and the severity of it, how long it has been since you were arrested or convicted, whether you have successfully completed the terms of your sentence or probation and whether you have been convicted of other crimes in the past. Keep in mind there are limitations on which cases you can expunge. For instance, you would not be able to expunge a very serious crime such as a violent felony or a sex offense.

In California, the process of expunging a criminal record is called “dismissal”. That is because usually the case is reopened and the conviction is dismissed, as if you never committed the crime. You can petition for a dismissal if you were convicted of an infraction, misdemeanor or felony and received any combination of county jail time, probation or a fine.

You will not be dismissed if you are currently charged with or serving a sentence for another offense, nor will it be dismissed to state prison or transferred to the authority of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. If you are interested in dismissing your record, it’s best to contact an experienced attorney who can give you the proper guidance and information you need to know.

There’s no substitute for a strong Sacramento criminal lawyer.
Call Wing & Parisi at (916) 441-4888.

Contact us online or call at (916) 441-4888 for a free and confidential initial consultation, available in Spanish. We appear in state and federal courts in the Sacramento and Davis communities as well as throughout Placer and San Joaquin counties.

The Law Office of Wing & Parisi serves clients in the Sacramento and Davis communities as well as throughout Placer County and San Joaquin County. Hablamos espanol.