Archive for June, 2011
Expungement of Criminal Convictions in California
Offenses NOT Eligible For Expungement In California
Before you spend your time reading on, here are a list of offenses that are NOT eligible for expungement: Vehicle Code Section 42001(b) which includes sections 2800, 2801 and 2803; Penal Code Section 261(d), 286(c), 288, 288a(c), 288.5 and 289(j).
Additionally, if you were convicted of an offense that resulted in a State Prison sentence, you will similarly not be eligible for expungement, but may be eligible for a Certificate of Rehabilitation from the California Board of Prisons.
Offenses Eligible For Expungement In California
Aside from the excluded offenses above, your conviction is eligible for expungement if: 1) You were convicted of a misdemeanor and given probation: you complied fully with all of the requirements, including payment of all fines, restitution and reimbursement, and do not have any current criminal charges pending; or 2) You were convicted of a misdemeanor and not given probation, did not serve time in State Prison: it has at least a year since your conviction and you have paid all fines, restitution and reimbursement, have not been charged with any crimes and are living an honest and upright life and have obeyed all laws; 3) Were charged with a felony that was reduced to a misdemeanor and you are eligible under either 1 or 2 above.
Why Should You Apply For An Expungement?
There are several personal and professional reasons why someone would want to apply for an expungement. An expungement is not automatically granted, and will not be granted in the event that you have broken any law since you received your conviction, so the fact that your conviction is set aside proves to you and others that you have learned from your experience and have lived a law-abiding life since your conviction.
On a professional level, you can truthfully tell private employers that you have not been convicted of a crime. What’s more, California Labor Code §432.7 prevents employers from asking about any arrest that didn’t result in a conviction, inquiring about it from other sources or use it in a hiring decision. Note that if you ever apply for a job with a public entity, or for a professional license, when asked if you were ever convicted of a crime, you will have to report “Yes, and my conviction was dismissed.” Again, the fact that your conviction was set aside will definitely reflect more favorably on your character and indicates that you have fulfilled the requirements necessary to have your conviction set aside.
Additionally, most Licensing and Certification agencies in California will not grant a license to someone who has been convicted of a crime. The same is true for Governmental jobs. However, if your conviction has been expunged, most Governmental licensing and hiring agencies (except police agencies) are required to treat you the same as if you were never convicted of the crime.
What An Expungement Can Do For You
An expungement will reflect that your conviction has been set aside. An expunged record cannot be used by private employers as a basis to deny you employment. Also, in the State of California, Government Employers (except for the police) and Licensing Agencies such as the Department of Real Estate, Board of Nursing, etc., will treat you the same as if you have never been convicted of a crime if your record has been expunged.
What An Expungement CANNOT Do For You
An expunged record can still be reviewed by a judge for the purposes of increasing your sentence if you are ever convicted of another crime in the future. Also, an expungement does not wipe out your criminal record. Your criminal court file will not be physically destroyed, and is therefore searchable and is often discovered by private investigators and others who perform background checks. If your criminal court file is discovered, it will show that your conviction was set aside by the court. Accordingly, the Judicial Counsel of California advises that if you are asked by a private employer if you were convicted of a crime, you should answer “Yes, and the conviction was dismissed.” In the case of public employers and licensing agencies, you are required to answer that you have been convicted of a crime and that your conviction has been dismissed. Additionally, an expungement will not automatically grant you the ability to possess a firearm, nor will it restore any driving privileges that were revoked by the DMV due to the conviction. Similarly, an expungement does not restore your right to possess a firearm. Lastly, an expunged record does not relieve you of the duty to register as a sex offender if you are otherwise required to do so.
What If You Were Convicted Of A Felony?
If you were convicted of a felony and did not serve time in State Prison, you must first petition to have the felony reduced to a misdemeanor. If your petition is granted, you may then apply to have the conviction dismissed via expungement.
If your felony resulted in a State Prison sentence, you will not be eligible for an expungement; rather you may petition for a Certificate of Rehabilitation and Pardon.
Originally published here.
DUI Partners
License Suspension On Account Of Dui? After This You Call For A Good Arizona Dui Lawyer!
An arrest for driving under the influence not solely creates the possibility of jail time, alcohol training lessons with probation; it likewise might effect in 2 particular person license suspensions that in turn may significantly influence the person’s income. The priority law enforcement officials are currently needing is which people who see to receive this effect aren’t taking it seriously.
This selected stakeout confirmed to law enforcement officers which their concerns have been finally valid the very fact that offenders are unemotionally disregarding their license suspensions. A good deal of offenders are evidently not taking this effect of their charge severely as well as if not stopped for traffic violations, a good number of those people driving on a suspended license would by no means get caught. Many of persons drivers do not comprehend which driving on a suspended license is really a misdemeanor act that unfortunately may effect in excessive consequences. Those folks caught driving on a suspended license could cope with as much as a $1,000 charge, six months in jail and even probation.
If you might be arrested for DUI your license shall be certainly suspended through the Division of Motor Vehicles thirty days after your arrest date. All through the very first thirty days following your arrest you keep full driving rights. You have the capability to battle the licenses suspension; nonetheless, if you do not ask for an Administrative Per Se (APS) trial within 10 days your current license will instantly be suspended. This are often why it is crucial that you just retain a effective DUI legal professional, who may possibly ease this procedure used for you in addition to ask for the hearing in your behalf. The suspension used for a first time offender is 4 months except instantaneously after thirty days of no driving, you can perhaps observe events to acquire a limited license which will allow you to drive to and from work, in your course of work in addition to to and from an alcohol program. Once again, a talented DUI attorney will guarantee for which you just have performed all of the suitable documents and procedures to get you back once more on the road the moment feasible.
Arizona Attorney DUI has information dealing with complicated APS requirements, that usually should come as no actual shock as they’ve supplied legal illustration used for a lot of a whole lot shoppers at their very own APS hearing. Arizona Attorneys are aware of the a number of struggles that may possibly well result in your life because of several license suspension. This are sometimes why they complete the job so passionately to protect your privilege of driving and in truth have stored a whole lot of drivers’ licenses. Make contact with an Arizona DUI Attorney now to retain a expert DUI attorney which will aggressively guard your rights each at the APS listening to in addition to in court.
Originally published here.
Mike Lackie
Expungement of Criminal Convictions in California
Offenses NOT Eligible For Expungement In California
Before you spend your time reading on, here are a list of offenses that are NOT eligible for expungement: Vehicle Code Section 42001(b) which includes sections 2800, 2801 and 2803; Penal Code Section 261(d), 286(c), 288, 288a(c), 288.5 and 289(j).
Additionally, if you were convicted of an offense that resulted in a State Prison sentence, you will similarly not be eligible for expungement, but may be eligible for a Certificate of Rehabilitation from the California Board of Prisons.
Offenses Eligible For Expungement In California
Aside from the excluded offenses above, your conviction is eligible for expungement if: 1) You were convicted of a misdemeanor and given probation: you complied fully with all of the requirements, including payment of all fines, restitution and reimbursement, and do not have any current criminal charges pending; or 2) You were convicted of a misdemeanor and not given probation, did not serve time in State Prison: it has at least a year since your conviction and you have paid all fines, restitution and reimbursement, have not been charged with any crimes and are living an honest and upright life and have obeyed all laws; 3) Were charged with a felony that was reduced to a misdemeanor and you are eligible under either 1 or 2 above.
Why Should You Apply For An Expungement?
There are several personal and professional reasons why someone would want to apply for an expungement. An expungement is not automatically granted, and will not be granted in the event that you have broken any law since you received your conviction, so the fact that your conviction is set aside proves to you and others that you have learned from your experience and have lived a law-abiding life since your conviction.
On a professional level, you can truthfully tell private employers that you have not been convicted of a crime. What’s more, California Labor Code §432.7 prevents employers from asking about any arrest that didn’t result in a conviction, inquiring about it from other sources or use it in a hiring decision. Note that if you ever apply for a job with a public entity, or for a professional license, when asked if you were ever convicted of a crime, you will have to report “Yes, and my conviction was dismissed.” Again, the fact that your conviction was set aside will definitely reflect more favorably on your character and indicates that you have fulfilled the requirements necessary to have your conviction set aside.
Additionally, most Licensing and Certification agencies in California will not grant a license to someone who has been convicted of a crime. The same is true for Governmental jobs. However, if your conviction has been expunged, most Governmental licensing and hiring agencies (except police agencies) are required to treat you the same as if you were never convicted of the crime.
What An Expungement Can Do For You
An expungement will reflect that your conviction has been set aside. An expunged record cannot be used by private employers as a basis to deny you employment. Also, in the State of California, Government Employers (except for the police) and Licensing Agencies such as the Department of Real Estate, Board of Nursing, etc., will treat you the same as if you have never been convicted of a crime if your record has been expunged.
What An Expungement CANNOT Do For You
An expunged record can still be reviewed by a judge for the purposes of increasing your sentence if you are ever convicted of another crime in the future. Also, an expungement does not wipe out your criminal record. Your criminal court file will not be physically destroyed, and is therefore searchable and is often discovered by private investigators and others who perform background checks. If your criminal court file is discovered, it will show that your conviction was set aside by the court. Accordingly, the Judicial Counsel of California advises that if you are asked by a private employer if you were convicted of a crime, you should answer “Yes, and the conviction was dismissed.” In the case of public employers and licensing agencies, you are required to answer that you have been convicted of a crime and that your conviction has been dismissed. Additionally, an expungement will not automatically grant you the ability to possess a firearm, nor will it restore any driving privileges that were revoked by the DMV due to the conviction. Similarly, an expungement does not restore your right to possess a firearm. Lastly, an expunged record does not relieve you of the duty to register as a sex offender if you are otherwise required to do so.
What If You Were Convicted Of A Felony?
If you were convicted of a felony and did not serve time in State Prison, you must first petition to have the felony reduced to a misdemeanor. If your petition is granted, you may then apply to have the conviction dismissed via expungement.
If your felony resulted in a State Prison sentence, you will not be eligible for an expungement; rather you may petition for a Certificate of Rehabilitation and Pardon.
Originally published here.
DUI Partners