Hagar and Phillips - Expungable Offenses

Expungable Offenses:

What is Expungement? It is the process by which a record of criminal convictions is destroyed or sealed from state or federal record.

Expungement is not an automatic process and must be requested through the court in the county where the arrest occurred.

The Benefit of Expungement:

- Allows people to apply for jobs without disclosing their prior criminal record

- Attend college or graduate schools without being limited by a criminal history

- Protects privacy and prevents such history from appearing on background checks

Who is eligible for Expungement: Not all charges are created equally. Therefore, some convictions are not eligible for expungement.

The following are eligible for expungement:

1. Non-violent crimes

2. Non-DUI crimes

3. Non-Sexual Crimes

4. Most misdemeanors unless statutorily ineligible

5. Some felonies including forgery, theft, vandalism, and fraudulent insurance claims

6. First time drug possession

7. Any charges that were dismissed or resulted in a not-guilty verdict. This includes diversion pleas.

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