Having a conviction expunged from your record allows you to legally declare that said conviction does not exist when filling out job applications, leases and certain legal documents. However, if you need to fill out an application that requires a higher level of scrutiny into your criminal record, such as with government jobs, certain certifications and permits, the conviction may still be discovered.
If you have successfully completed probation for your conviction, getting it expunged typically entails paying the balance of any fees or restitution associated with your offense. Otherwise, completion of probation mandates that your offense be expunged from the record, provided that you completed it without violation or were released from probation early.
In certain cases, you may petition the court to expunge a conviction from your record, provided you are no longer on probation and you have not served time in prison for any other felony conviction. However, felony convictions that could either be sentenced as misdemeanors or felonies fall into a special category, and it’s up to the court to decide on which action to take. If your charge is a misdemeanor, you may be the felony conviction expunged from your record.
If you manage to reduce a felony conviction to a misdemeanor, however, it does not remove the “strike” against your permanent record, and may or may not restore your gun rights, depending on the circumstances surrounding your case.
To petition to have a conviction expunged, you should contact a trusted legal representative to help guide you through the process. A skilled lawyer gives you the benefit of experience and intimate legal knowledge to get your conviction expunged as quickly and effectively as possible.