An expungement is procedure to erase criminal records from your past. If you have been convicted of a crime, a disorderly persons offense, town ordinance, went through a PTI/Conditional Discharge or even just arrested with your case dismissed, an expungement could be a great help. Once completed, the expungement will “extract and isolate” your past records from most public viewing. You will now legally be able to answer NO when asked if you have ever been arrested or convicted of a crime. This will help when seeking/trying to maintain employment, getting a loan/mortgage, renting an apartment, adopting children, trying to get a gun permit, clearing your family name, and countless other issues.

There are some considerations to take into account with an expungement however; there are time restrictions that dictate how long you must wait after an offense to file for an expungement and a limit to the number of charges that may be removed, and there are certain crimes which may never be expunged (murder, kidnapping, rape, and other very serious offenses). Also, although hidden from most public viewing, these records still exist and can be seen for limited purposes such as going before a Judge on another charge, immigration issues, applying for a Job in law enforcement, and some other specialized areas). For a greater explanation on what an expungement does and does not do, if you qualify, and if it help for your personal situation, feel free to call our office today.