How to Expunge a Felony

Want to expunge a felony? In most states, felonies can be expunged if you meet certain requirements. Having a felony expunged can open up many social and job opportunities for you. Here is a step by step guide on how to expunge a felony.

Instructions

1. Familiarize yourself with your states qualifications for expungment. Although laws vary from state to state, here are a few of the requirements you must meet before getting a felony expunged.

   *Your sentence must be served in full.
   *You may not have any pending charges against you.
   *Any probation or Parole must be completed.
   * You must wait a year and a half before a judge will consider your petition for expungement.
   *You must have not committed a violent crime (robbery, homicide).

2. Determine if you have a chance at getting your felony expunged. Expungements are usually only granted for first time offenders. Multiple felony cases are seldomly ever expunged. If you fall into the latter category, filing a motion for expungement might be a waste of time.

3. File a petition with the court explaining why you think your case should be expunged. I recommend that you hire a lawyer for this part but it can be done on your own. Check with your local court for the correct filing procedure. Expungment is based solely on the judges digression.

4. Understand that felony expungment only removes your criminal history from public records. Law enforcement agencies will still be able to view your complete criminal record.