Expungement

Glendale Expungement Attorneys Serving Los Angeles County

A criminal conviction can derail your life. Having a criminal record can affect where you are permitted to live, whether you can apply for a professional license, your capacity to get a mortgage or other loan, and whether you’ll be accepted for a position at a job. Even an arrest can adversely affect your reputation and your life. Your career, your finances, and your future can all be upended by conviction. Thankfully, California law allows for certain convictions to be sealed or expunged from your record, meaning that no employer, bank, or other party will be affected by the mistakes of your past.

If you have a criminal record and you are interested in having your records sealed or expunged, call a seasoned and compassionate Southern California expungement lawyer at McReynolds Vardanyan. Our dedicated criminal defense legal team will review your case and your situation in order to determine whether you can benefit from expungement. If there’s a way to clear your name and set you on a path to a brighter future, we’ll find it.

What is Expungement?

Expungement is a form of post-conviction relief available under the California Penal Code. When an eligible party petitions for expungement, the court will review the conviction and allow the defendant to withdraw their guilty plea or finding of guilt. The plea will be changed to “not guilty” and the case will then be dismissed, setting aside the record. In effect, the criminal record will be cleared.

Once your criminal record has been expunged, it will be as if you were never convicted of that crime. You will be legally able to state that you have never had a criminal conviction. Landlords and employers will not find a conviction on background checks. If there are other consequences linked to your conviction, you will be able to seek relief.

Who is Eligible for Criminal Records Expungement?

In California, defendants convicted of a wide range of misdemeanors and felonies are eligible for expungement of their convictions. Expungement is available for defendants:

  • Convicted of a California state misdemeanor or felony (as opposed to a federal offense)
  • Who have successfully completed any probation ordered (although defendants with a probation violation may still be eligible, following a special court hearing)
  • Who either:
    • Did not serve any prison time for the offense (county jail time is acceptable)
    • Served prison time for an offense that would have led only to jail time (or no time) had the crime been committed after implementation of Proposition 47

The following must be also true of the defendant to be eligible for expungement:

  • The defendant must not be currently serving a sentence for a criminal offense
  • The defendant must not be currently on probation for a criminal offense
  • The defendant must not be currently charged with an offense

In addition to the requirements listed above, certain criminal offenses are explicitly excluded from expungement. Specifically, in California, convictions concerning sexual acts with a minor (sodomy, statutory rape, child pornography, etc.) may not be expunged.

If you believe you might be eligible for expungement based on the above-listed criteria, speak with a dedicated criminal defense lawyer to explore your options.

Thorough and Dedicated California Expungement Lawyers

If you have been arrested or convicted of a crime as an adult or juvenile in Los Angeles or anywhere in Southern California, our passionate and experienced expungement lawyers are ready to protect your rights and your future. Call the criminal defense legal team at McReynolds Vardanyan for a review of your case today. We will fight for your rights and your freedom.

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