A criminal record can have life-altering effects, including the loss of civil rights like the right to vote and significant challenges in securing employment. Many jurisdictions allow for the expungement of criminal records if certain criteria are met. If you'd like to explore your eligibility, please contact us for a consultation. 

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State Convictions

 

For example, some states permit the expungement of lower-level offenses after a specific period of time has passed. In other cases, trial courts have broad discretion in deciding whether to grant an expungement petition.

 

Typically, an expungement order will remove your criminal record from most criminal databases, giving you a fresh start.

 

We can help evaluate your situation and advise you on the best options for expungement.​ 

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Federal Convictions

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While many states offer a variety of expungement or record-sealing options, federal expungement is extremely limited and exceedingly rare. Unlike state-level systems, there is no comprehensive federal expungement statute, which can make clearing a federal record much more difficult.  

 

In general, federal law does not provide a broad mechanism for expunging convictions from federal court records. Most federal criminal laws do not include provisions for expungement. Unlike many states, Congress has not passed legislation giving federal courts the power to routinely expunge or seal criminal convictions.

 

Federal courts have very limited authority to expunge records on equitable grounds (such as rehabilitation or hardship). Even sympathetic cases are usually not enough without specific legal authority. The federal government has typically maintained that criminal records should generally remain accessible for public safety, background checks, and law enforcement purposes.

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While there has been a push by certain members of Congress and even some members of the judiciary to allow for expungement, there is still no comprehensive authority for federal judges to expunge convictions similar to state counterparts. 

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