California Expungement Lawyers

Cleaning Up Your Criminal Record

A criminal record is embarrassing and can have serious consequences for your employment and personal life. Fortunately, the State of California gives its citizens several ways to petition the courts to seal, destroy or dismiss an arrest record or criminal conviction. Wallin & Klarich can help with the paperwork, meeting eligibility requirements or any appeals that are necessary.

If you were arrested but not convicted of a crime, you may petition the court to seal and destroy your arrest record. A Wallin & Klarich attorney can ask a court to declare you factually innocent, allowing it to seal and destroy your arrest record. This will allow you to truthfully tell potential employers, licensing boards and others that you have never been arrested.

If you were convicted of a misdemeanor or felony but never served time in state prison, you’re eligible for a dismissal of your conviction. You must have completed any probation, restitution or other parts of your sentence; not be facing any new charges or completing probation on other charges; or, if you never had probation, it must have been at least a year since your sentence. The only crimes you may not have dismissed are certain convictions for sex offenses and a limited number of Vehicle Code violations. A Wallin & Klarich Orange County expungement attorney can petition the court on your behalf to have your record changed to show a dismissal rather than a conviction, which may allow you to truthfully say you have never been convicted of a crime. However, this dismissal will not protect you in all circumstances.

If you did serve time in state prison, or were convicted of certain sex crimes, you may be eligible for a certificate of rehabilitation. This is a document from the court that says you’ve been rehabilitated. If it is granted, it will be taken into account in state licensing decisions; it relieves some types of sex offenders from the requirement to register when they move; and it automatically becomes a petition for a pardon from the governor. In order to get a certificate of rehabilitation, you must have lived in California for three to five years before applying, and you must have a clean record for a significant period since your release, generally seven years. A Wallin & Klarich attorney can help you file for a certificate of rehabilitation or directly appeal for a governor’s pardon.

This area of law is very technical. Your reputation is one of the most important things a person has. If you have been unlucky enough to have prior convictions for criminal conduct you should contact Wallin and Klarich to find out what legal vehicles may be available to you to help clean up your prior criminal history.

Our clients often call us to tell us they cannot find employment or they have been terminated from their current job because of prior criminal history. Doesn’t it make sense to invest the time and money to see what you can do to wipe the slate clean?