Expungement Eligibility
When expungement of an arrest or conviction is an option in a state or county, in
most instances a person's criminal record must meet certain standards in order to qualify for the process.
Whether or not a person is eligible for expungement will usually depend on a
number of factors, including:
- The
amount of time that has passed since the arrest or conviction
- The
severity and nature of the event for which expungement is sought (i.e. a
conviction for a sex offense may lead to a denial of expungement)
- Events
in the applicant's criminal record (including arrests or convictions in
all jurisdictions, not just the offender's state/county)
- The
severity and nature of other events in the applicant's criminal record
Depending on the state and/or county, special eligibility rules might
exist for expungement of arrests or convictions that occurred while the
offender was a juvenile, and arrests or convictions for sex offenses.
Examples of
State-Specific Expungement Guidelines:
To learn more about your eligibility for expungement after
an arrest or conviction in your state, contact a Criminal Defense
Attorney near you.
