Expungement

Even if you have been found "not guilty" or had the charges dismissed, you may find that a criminal background check still shows the charges on your record. These charges can make it difficult to gain new employment, and often require constant explanations. Under certain circumstances, you may be eligible for an expungement, or a removal of past charges from public record. In North Carolina, you are allowed one expungement. You may be eligible if:

• You were found "not guilty" or had charges dismissed
• You were found guilty of a misdemeanor, and were under 18 at the time of the offense (or under 21 if you were convicted of misdemeanor possession of alcohol) and it is your first offense.

Scenario:

Mr. X has never had a run in with law enforcement, but had his wallet stolen. Mr. A, who stole Mr. X's wallet, was arrested for a separate charge and gave law enforcement Mr. X's information as his own. Mr. X's information was processed for Mr. A's crime, but later found to be an error. Mr. X received notice and was released from all fault. Several years later, Mr. X applies for a job, but is turned down due to past charges found on his criminal background records check.

Mr. X may want to pursue an expungement under the circumstances.

Contact our office for a FREE consultation. Jail consultations available.

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