{"id":8684,"date":"2022-09-18T19:34:42","date_gmt":"2022-09-18T18:34:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blinkx.com\/?p=8684"},"modified":"2022-09-18T21:43:53","modified_gmt":"2022-09-18T20:43:53","slug":"what-felonies-can-be-expunged","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessfinancenews.com\/background\/what-felonies-can-be-expunged\/","title":{"rendered":"What Felonies Can Be Expunged"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What Felonies Can Be Expunged?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

what felonies can be expunged? After serving time,\u00a0clearing the record can be crucial for rebuilding your life<\/strong><\/em>, and many people wonder, what felonies can be expunged?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although each state is different, the good news is that more and more states have updated their laws so that erasing felonies from the record (a.k.a. expungement) is easier than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, the type of crime, how much time has elapsed since the conviction, and even the age of the individual will all come into play when learning can a felony be expunged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people wonder,\u00a0do felonies go away after 7 years, or\u00a0do felonies go away at 18?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer for these questions, as well as\u00a0how long can a felony charge be pending, depends solely on the\u00a0state where the crime was committed.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0So, the first thing to do is run a\u00a0free criminal background check\u00a0on yourself to find out if the felony is part of\u00a0what shows up on a background check, and then see how your state deals with expungement opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide explains how each state approaches what felonies can be expunged.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can You Get a Felony Expunged?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many people who have served their sentence wonder if a felony can be expunged at all and what felonies can be expunged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truth is that the possibility of getting a felony expunged will vary widely based on the state. Some states make it far easier than others to get felonies expunged, however even in states that have a clearer path to expungement than other states, the process is often extremely difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exact path to expungement, which crimes can be expunged, who is eligible for expungement, and how long after serving a sentence the individual has to wait before the expungement process are all completely different in each state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it is important to keep in mind that expungement is not the only way to clean up your record to make it easier to find employment. The main issue for many individuals that have a felony conviction on their record is finding employment, as many employers these days run background checks and have to follow company policy that prevents them from hiring felons no matter the circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Expungement would obviously fix this problem as the record of their conviction would essentially be destroyed, leaving no trace of the charges and allowing them to pass a background check. However, another option that will have a similar effect is to have the record sealed. The process to get a record sealed is often similar to expungement but will often be easier to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although expungement is the better option as the record is destroyed, a sealed record will be invisible to background check agencies, allowing individuals to still pass a background check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The path to getting a record sealed is by no means easy, however, it is definitely worth looking into for individuals who are exploring all options to fix their background check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Get Record Expunged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Besides the state laws, there are a few other factors that will determine the likelihood of getting a felony expunged. First is the crime that was committed. What crimes are allowed to be expunged will depend on the state, but in general the more serious the crime, the less likely it becomes to get that crime expunged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every state has a lengthy list of crimes that do not qualify for expungement under any circumstances, this list usually includes the most serious felonies.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The less serious the crime, the more likely it is possible to get the record expunged or at least sealed. Many states will have clearly defined paths to expungements for certain misdemeanors, those who are first offenders, and individuals who were convicted of crimes as a minor.<\/p>\n\n\n

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There are two basic ways to get a record expunged: the do-it-yourself method, or hiring a lawyer to guide you through the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do It Yourself Expungement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even with more serious crimes, whether or not the crime can be expunged is not completely up to a judge. Each state lays out specific crimes and circumstances and how they can be expunged. Assuming this criterion is met, then a petition to have the record expunged must be completed and handed over to the court where the charges were filed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once this happens, each state has a different time frame for when the results of the expungement petition will be known, which is usually less than 3 months.<\/p>\n\n\n

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If all the criteria for expungement are met, there is still a strong possibility that the petition to expunge the records will be denied. Ultimately, a judge will make the final decision as to whether or not to expunge the record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The expungement process itself is relatively simple. In most states, individuals who qualify for expungement are required to fill out a form to petition for expungement and submit that form to the courts within a certain time frame. As far as the legal process for expungement goes, that is essentially it. Although this will lead many to the conclusion that hiring an attorney to help get their record expunged is unnecessary, it is always a good idea to consult with a lawyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expungement With a Lawyer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Expungement with a lawyer will follow the same basic process of filing an expungement petition, with the key difference that an experienced attorney will be able to carefully guide individuals through the process. This is invaluable, especially when it comes to preparing a case that is more likely to get a judge to look at the decision favorably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expungement without a lawyer is absolutely possible, many states have made the expungement process for certain crimes fairly easy. However, with more serious crimes and more complex situations, a lawyer will give individuals their best chance at getting a record expunged so that they can move on with their life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use the list below to learn more about the specific path to expungement in each state and familiarize yourself with the various expungement petition forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

State<\/td>DIY Expungement Form<\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Alabama (AL)<\/td>Alabama Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Alaska (AK)<\/td>Alaska Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Arizona (AZ)<\/td>Arizona Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Arkansas (AR)<\/td>Arkansas Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in California (CA)<\/td>California Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Colorado (CO)<\/td>Colorado Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Connecticut (CT)<\/td>Connecticut Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Delaware (DE)<\/td>Delaware Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Florida (FL)<\/td>Florida Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Georgia (GA)<\/td>Georgia Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Hawaii (HI)<\/td>Hawaii Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Idaho (ID)<\/td>Idaho Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Illinois (IL)<\/td>Illinois Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Indiana (IN)<\/td>Indiana Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Iowa (IA)<\/td>Iowa Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Kansas (KS)<\/td>Kansas Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Kentucky (KY)<\/td>Kentucky Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Louisiana (LA)<\/td>Louisiana Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Maine (ME)<\/td>Maine Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Massachusetts (MA)<\/td>Massachusetts Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Maryland (MD)<\/td>Maryland Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Michigan (MI)<\/td>Michigan Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Minnesota (MN)<\/td>Minnesota Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Mississippi (MS)<\/td>Mississippi Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Missouri (MO)<\/td>Missouri Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Montana (MN)<\/td>Montana Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Nebraska (NE)<\/td>Nebraska Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Nevada (NV)<\/td>Nevada Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in New Hampshire (NH)<\/td>New Hampshire Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in New Jersey (NJ)<\/td>New Jersey Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in New Mexico (NM)<\/td>New Mexico Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in New York (NY)<\/td>New York Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in North Carolina (NC)<\/td>North Carolina Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in North Dakota (ND)<\/td>North Dakota Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Ohio (OH)<\/td>Ohio Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Oklahoma (OK)<\/td>Oklahoma Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Oregon (OR)<\/td>Oregon Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Pennsylvania (PA)<\/td>Pennsylvania Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Rhode Island (RI)<\/td>Rhode Island Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in South Carolina (SC)<\/td>South Carolina Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in South Dakota (SD)<\/td>South Dakota Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Tennessee (TN)<\/td>Tennessee Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Texas (TX)<\/td>Texas Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Utah (UT)<\/td>Utah Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Vermont (VT)<\/td>Vermont Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Virginia (VI)<\/td>Virginia Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Washington (WA)<\/td>Washington Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in West Virginia (WV)<\/td>West Virginia Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Wisconsin (WI)<\/td>Wisconsin Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Do-It-Yourself Expungement in Wyoming (WY)<\/td>Wyoming Expungement form<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Clean Slate Program for Felons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many individuals with the question \u201cWhat felonies can be expunged?\u201d may have heard about clean slate programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More and more states are trying to make it easier for reformed felons to find work and move on with their lives after serving a sentence. Besides things like limiting how far back a background check can go, many states have also adopted programs to help get records sealed or expunged, such as clean slate programs. This is a program that is being adopted by more and more states that allow for certain criminal records, such as arrests that do not result in a conviction or various civil infractions once enough time has passed, to be automatically sealed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program should not be confused with the expungement process that is available in many states. Only low-level crimes and infractions are part of the clean slate program, so more serious crimes will still need to go through the traditional expungement program.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Although useful, only 7 states have some kind of clean slate program currently:<\/p>\n\n\n\n