Expungement Lawyer in Bend, Oregon
Having a criminal record leads to legal ramifications that can limit employment opportunities and your ability to qualify for loans or housing situations. The record of an arrest, even if you haven’t been convicted or a crime or if your charges were dropped, also can have an impact on your life. You criminal record may affect:
- Background Checks
- Employment Opportunities
- Mortgage and Rental Applications
- Firearm Rights
Hiring an expungement lawyer in Bend, Oregon, can help you clear your record if several requirements are met. Ricky R. Nelson has extensive experience handling expungements in varying circumstances for residents throughout Central Oregon. From drug crimes, including felony marijuana charges, to various misdemeanor and felonies, having a conviction or arrest expunged from your record can help you get a fresh start.
FAQs About Criminal Record Expungements
Expungement is the process of making an arrest or conviction like it never happened. In an expungement of your criminal record, all court documents are destroyed and the case won’t show up in background checks. You can legally deny you were arrested or convicted of the crime when questioned about your criminal record on employment applications and other documents.
Certain requirements must be met in order for a criminal record to be cleared by an expungement. In general, you can’t have any additional incidents and must have no more than a specific number of prior charges. The conviction can’t be considered too serious and you must have completed probation without any incident. You will be eligible:
- Immediately after the charges are dismissed
- Within 3 years of the date of conviction
- Within 1 year of being arrested, but not formally charged with a crime
In order to qualify for expungement, you must complete all sentencing requirements, have no pending cases in any court and no other arrests for at least 3 years, including those in other states.
Some convictions aren’t eligible for expungement. In Oregon, driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII) crimes cannot be expunged because it’s considered a “counting crime,” where each conviction carries a stiffer penalty. DUII convictions remain on your record. Sex crimes, child abuse and Class A felonies can’t be expunged from your record. Traffic crimes and violations, including speeding tickets, also can’t be expunged in Oregon.
In order to expunge a conviction or arrest from your criminal record in Oregon, you must pay a $265 court filing fee and $80 for an Oregon State Police Background Check. Other court costs as well as attorney fees may apply. Nelson Law charges $500 + fees for an expungement in Oregon.
Hire a Criminal Record Expungement Attorney
It’s possible to file a petition on your own, but hiring a criminal record expungement attorney in Bend saves you time and possibly money if you make a simple clerical error. An expungement attorney provides you with knowledgeable representation throughout the legal process. The process can be confusing, but Ricky R. Nelson understands state and local laws regarding expungement and can help you through the requirements. Contact Nelson Law for a free consultation regarding your criminal record expungement.