Felony Expungement

Felony crimes are generally, but not limited to: aggravated assault and/or battery, arson, burglary, illegal drug use/sales, grand theft, robbery, murder, rape and vandalism on federal property. If convicted of a felony, you could spend time in a prison (whereas misdemeanor time is typically served in a jail) and lose privileges such as professional licenses or the ability to hold public offices or gain public employment.

Expungement generally refers to the cleansing of your criminal record, or the sealing and destruction of arrest and/or conviction information. An expungement proceeding can potentially make the underlying criminal records dismissed through state or Federal repositories. These records are said, then, to be “expunged.” Additionally, some felonies are considered “whobblers” and can be reduced to misdemeanors.

A felony expungement is not a pardon. When you have your felony expunged, your criminal record is not erased. However, the finding of guilt in your felony case will be changed to a dismissal. This is important, because you can then honestly and legally respond to a question about your criminal history by saying you have not been convicted of a crime.