6 Reasons Why Reducing a Felony Conviction to a Misdemeanor is Worth the Expense

If you have been convicted of a felony, you probably know the effect your felony conviction has on your life. Having a criminal record can make living life difficult. But you may be able to reduce a felony conviction to a misdemeanor in California.

There are numerous benefits to having a felony conviction reduced to a misdemeanor. Securing and maintaining employment in Southern California is extremely difficult as it is, and is only harder if a background check reveals a felony conviction.

A felony conviction doesn’t have to be a life sentence. There are ways that an experienced criminal defense attorney can help you have a felony conviction reduced to a misdemeanor. Now, you may be wondering is it worth it to have your felony conviction reduced to a misdemeanor.

Benefits to Reducing a Felony Conviction to a Misdemeanor

Having a felony reduced to a misdemeanor on your criminal record has numerous benefits to you. Some of the most common benefits of reducing a felony to a misdemeanor include, but are not limited to:

1. Being able to answer honestly on a job application that you have never been convicted of a felony
2. Being able to secure affordable housing now that a background check doesn’t reveal a past felony conviction
3. A bank will be more willing to give you a loan now that you don’t have a felony on your criminal record
4. Obtaining professional licenses to progress in your field
5. Restoring your gun rights
6. Reducing or eliminating the need to check in with a probation officer

Am I Eligible to Have My Felony Conviction Reduced?

Now that we’ve established the benefits of reducing a felony conviction to a misdemeanor, you’re probably wondering how you can go about doing this. You must be eligible for a reduction. California Penal Code 17(b) lays out two requirements for reducing a felony conviction to a misdemeanor:

• The crime you were convicted of must be a “wobbler” offense, meaning it could be charged as a felony or misdemeanor (and you were charged with a felony); and
• Probation must have been granted

Under California law, a “wobbler” is an offense that can be charged and punished as either a felony or a misdemeanor. Only felonies that are classified as wobblers may be reduced to misdemeanors. If you wish to find out more about reducing your felony conviction to a misdemeanor, speak with a skilled and knowledgeable attorney at Wallin & Klarich immediately.

Call the Criminal Defense Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich

A felony conviction could haunt you for the rest of your life. But it doesn’t have to. Be sure that your rights are adequately protected if you are seeking a reduction of a felony to a misdemeanor. The best way to do this is to hire a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney. At Wallin & Klarich, our attorneys have been successfully defending our clients in criminal cases for over 40 years. Let us help you protect your rights today.

With offices located in Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks, Torrance, Orange County, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, West Covina and Victorville, there is an experienced Wallin & Klarich criminal defense attorney available to help you no matter where you work or live.

Call us today at (877) 4-NO-JAIL or (877) 466-5245 for a free phone consultation. We will be there when you call.