Expunctions/Expungements in Fayetteville, NC

 

A criminal charge can follow you for the rest of your life, even if you win in court.  Even an acquittal or a verdict of not guilty does not remove the charge from your criminal record.  To permanently remove a charge from your record, you have to seek an expunction of the charge.  Expunctions are also known as expungements or expungments.  An expunction is the legal process by which a charge is permanently removed or erased from your criminal record.

 

Most expunctions are done where the charges against the defendant are dismissed or the defendant is acquitted of the charge.  This is done via North Carolina General Statute 15A-146.  While you are not required to hire a lawyer for have a charge expunged, most people find the process too tedious or complicated to handle on their own.  There are a lot of hoops to jump through and criteria to meet in order to be eligible for an expunction.  If you have a charge against you that was dismissed or for which you were found not guilty, you may be eligible to have the charge permanently removed from your record so that you can move on with your life.

Expunctions for Certain Convictions

 

Certain misdemeanor and felony convictions qualify to be expunged under North Carolina law.  There are several methods by which certain non-violent convictions can be removed from one’s criminal record if all qualifications are met.  Some methods are for those who were minors or less than 21 years of age at the time of the offense.  Some require waiting two years after conviction or release from confinement or probation/ parole, while some require waiting 15 years after conviction or release from confinement or probation/parole.  The requirements for these expunctions are very complex and require an attorney who knows the best way to remove these convictions from your record. 

 

Contact Fayetteville Expungement Attorney Adam Barrington at (910) 433-2000 to setup an appointment to discuss clearing your criminal record.