Expungement Services in Mission Viejo, CA

Expungement in California is the process of filing a legal petition, or motion, with the court under California Penal Code 1203.4 requesting to have the Judge re-open the case, to set aside the conviction and to dismiss the case. If the expungement petition is granted, you will no longer be considered convicted of the crime by the state of California, and your permanent criminal record will be updated to display a dismissal rather than a criminal conviction.

Subsequently, once the conviction is expunged by the court you can then truthfully tell employers, your family, and all other interested parties that you have not previously been convicted of a crime. Furthermore, the expunged conviction will no longer show on employer and landlord background checks. Simply put, Criminal record expungement allows you to forget your past, and move forward with your future.

Hiring Laguna Legal to prepare and file your expungement is like doing it yourself.  All documents are prepared “in pro per” which means you are filing your own documents.  Laguna Legal is a bonded and certified legal document service which provides self help services to a member of the public who is representing him/herself in a legal matter.

Typically, an expungement can be completed within 90 days.  Usually a delay is because the judge is requesting an appearance.

You have been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor.

You are not currently facing any criminal charges.

You are not currently serving a sentence for a criminal offense.

You did not serve time in a California or federal prison.

You have either successfully completed your Probation or obtained an early termination of Probation.

You do not have any outstanding court-ordered fines.

You have completed your sentence and all of its requirements (including community service or other programs).

You were charged and convicted in state court, not in federal court.

If you did not receive Probation, it has been at least 1 year since your conviction.

You may still be eligible but the Court has the discretion to expunge your records if you meet the following criteria:

You did not fulfill all of the Probation requirements but you have paid all restitution and are not currently charged with or serving a sentence for another offense.

You were convicted of a misdemeanor for solicitation/prostitution and have successfully completed Probation or can show that your conviction was the result of human trafficking in  which you were a victim.

If you were convicted for a felony, sentenced to county jail and it has been at least 2 years since you completed your sentence.

You were a member of the United States military and suffered mental health or other trauma/injury-related problems as a result of your service.

In order to have a felony expunged, it must first be reduced to a misdemeanor.

The types of crimes that cannot be dismissed or set aside by filing an expungement  in California are:

• any federal crime
• murder
• certain sexual assult crimes
• serious violent crimes
• child pornography or any sex crimes involving a minor

No, you do not need to seek an expungement lawyer near you to file for an expungement.  A California expungement lawyer is not necessary because Laguna Legal offers non-attorney expungement services throughout the state of California.