Los Angeles Expungement Attorney

Successfully Helping Clients Get Charges Dismissed Throughout Los Angeles County

If you’re convicted of a misdemeanor such as assault or theft, it’s a criminal conviction that can conceivably remain on your record forever. A misdemeanor is not like a traffic ticket. A conviction for a misdemeanor is often enough to prevent you from obtaining better employment and professional licenses. Even the smallest employers now run criminal background checks. When you seek work, if you are being routinely rejected by prospective employers, your criminal record is probably the reason.

In California, most misdemeanors and even some felony convictions can be expunged from your record with the help of a good Los Angeles expungement attorney. In Southern California, call the Los Angeles offices of the Miranda Rights Law Firm if you need to have your criminal record expunged or if you want to learn more about expungements.

Contact our firm today to learn more about your post-conviction options. 

What Is The Difference Between Expungement And Dismissal In California?

If you have been convicted of a crime in the state of California and have completed all the terms that the court requires, you need to know that under Penal Code 1203.4, your case cannot actually be “expunged.” Expungement implies that your case will be erased as if it never happened, and that is not legal in California. What is legal, however, is what is known as dismissal.

With dismissal, the conviction does remain on your record for a few different reasons, and there are many limitations, such as completion of all the terms of probation, and you must not be serving any other offense anywhere else. You must also wait for one year after their conviction before applying for dismissal.

How Are Expungements Handled Under California Law?

Expungement under PC1203.4/1203.4a (dismissal) will allow a new entry in the court record showing the dismissal of the case, allow you to truthfully say on a job application that you have not been convicted, unless it is a government job or one that requires security clearance, as California and FBI criminal history records will still show the conviction and the later dismissal.

Expungement under PC1203.4/1203.4a (dismissal) will not give you the right to possess firearms; it will not remove you from the registry as a sex offender, and it will not prevent the conviction from being considered and used to refuse or revoke government licenses. There are many factors to consider when asking for an expungement/dismissal. An attorney who is experienced in expungement can really help you along the way to receive the very best outcome.

What Is The Expungement Process in California?

A court hearing will be scheduled, and you will need to appear. The results are likely to be more favorable for you with an attorney present. California does not allow expungement/dismissal for offenses involving sexual offenses against children, murder, and kidnapping. You can file for your own dismissal, but an attorney is valuable to make sure the process is completed correctly and your records are successfully expunged.

Criminal records have always been public information, but with the explosion of online information services in the 21st century, it’s easier now than ever for almost anyone to conduct a thorough background check on almost anyone else. If you need to have a conviction expunged, you’ll need to work with a good defense attorney who routinely helps clients with both misdemeanor and felony expungements. First, your attorney will determine if you qualify for expungement, and if so, your attorney will explain the process. If an old conviction is keeping you from obtaining work or is harming you in some other way, discuss the expungement process at once with an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR EXPUNGEMENT?

A criminal conviction on your record can be a major hindrance to employment prospects. You may find that you’re not eligible for certain jobs because of a criminal conviction.

California laws will allow certain individuals to have their criminal records expunged as part of a special legal procedure. Once your record has been expunged, employers are no longer allowed to use the criminal record against you or to discriminate against you. Speak to a Los Angeles expungement lawyer about whether you qualify. There are a number of important considerations if you’re seeking the sealing of a criminal case on your record, including the following.

• There are certain criteria that you must fulfill to be eligible for expungement.
• You must have successfully completed your probation requirements.
• You must not currently be on probation for any criminal offense
• You must currently not be serving a sentence for any offense
• You must not currently be charged with any offense.

If you fulfill all of these criteria, you may be eligible for expungement of your criminal record. To determine whether you qualify for an expungement, or to establish whether you meet these criteria, speak to one of the top Los Angeles expungement lawyers, Attorney Douglas Miranda.

Certain criminal records cannot be expunged under any circumstances. Additionally, sometimes, persons may believe that they have satisfied all of the terms of their probation, but may find that they do not qualify for an expungement because they have not satisfied all of the requirements. Therefore, it’s important to speak with a lawyer about whether you qualify for an expungement of your record.

WE EXPLAIN AND GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS

If you have successfully completed all of the terms of your probation, you are probably eligible to have your record expunged. If you pleaded guilty or no contest to an offense, your conviction can often be expunged three years after the date you entered your plea. Although the successful completion of probation is mandatory, the law does give courts the discretion to expunge convictions where probation was violated but later completed successfully. Once the record expungement is granted in Los Angeles County, the conviction is set aside, a plea of “not guilty” is entered, and the case is dismissed.

Contact Our Los Angeles Expungement Attorney Today

As a Los Angeles expungement attorney in Southern California, Douglas Miranda frequently helps clients with both misdemeanor and felony expungements. If you need to have a felony or misdemeanor conviction expunged from your record, let an experienced Los Angeles expungement lawyer determine if you qualify, explain the process, and guide you through it.

At the Miranda Rights Law Firm, we take our responsibility to our clients seriously, and we want to put our experience to work for you as you seek to have a troublesome charge removed from your record.

To schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced Los Angeles expungement attorney, contact us today at 213-255-5838. Se habla español.