Expungements

"Expungement" is the erasing of a criminal arrest and/or criminal conviction from an individual’s criminal record. Depending on the jurisdiction, individuals in some cases may expunge arrest records where there is no conviction. Also, in some cases certain types of criminal convictions may be expunged. When and if such an order is granted, the individual may, for some purposes, treat the arrest and all subsequent proceedings as though they never occurred. An expungement may be beneficial for someone looking for employment, particularly for jobs that require certain types of licenses and/or background checks. If an arrest or criminal conviction is expunged, the individual may be able to answer “no” when asked whether they have ever been arrested or convicted. Please note, however, that not all arrests or criminal convictions are eligible for expungement.