Columbus Expungement Attorney

An expungement is the legal process by which a person’s conviction record will be sealed. The record is erased in the eyes of the law. All eligible misdemeanor and felony charges can be expunged from a person’s criminal record. After a record is expunged, criminal convictions will be wiped from the slate as if they never occurred. A person can apply to have his or her record expunged whether they were found guilty or not guilty, if the case was dismissed, or if they have a bail forfeiture on their record. If expungement is granted, the court orders all official records pertaining to the case sealed and all references to the case deleted. The proceedings in the case shall be considered not to have occurred and the conviction shall be sealed.

Are you or someone you know seeking expungement for a crime committed? If so, contact an experienced Columbus Expungement Attorney at Funkhouser Law today!

Under Ohio law, “first time offenders” are eligible to apply for sealing of a conviction record. This generally means that an applicant can only have one conviction on his or her record when they petition for expungement. However, when two or more convictions result from or are connected to the same act or from offenses committed at the same time, it is possible that they be counted as one conviction. Additionally, there are other exceptions to this first time offender rule. An experienced Columbus Expungement Attorney will be able to evaluate whether and which of these exceptions apply.

A criminal record can negatively impact a person's social and professional life.  Many applications require disclosure of a person's criminal record and many agencies perform criminal background record checks.  If a person has a conviction on his or her record, it may be difficult to get a job, rent an apartment, obtain credit, or apply for certain types of licenses.  An expungement of a criminal record erases felony and misdemeanor convictions from the public record.  If an individual's criminal record has been expunged, nothing will show up when their criminal record is checked and that person can lawfully answer "no" on employment or other types of applications asking if they have ever been convicted of a crime.  It is important to recruit a qualified Columbus Attorney who can assist you in the Ohio expungement process, allowing you to take advantage of different opportunities without worrying that someone will find out about your criminal background.  An experienced attorney can help to ensure that past mistakes do not interfere with your future.

Not all criminal convictions can be expunged. (Click here for offenses that may be ineligible for expungement.) Expungements are created by state law and are granted only when all expungement eligibility requirements are met — they are considered a privilege rather than a right. As such, it is important to contact a qualified Columbus Expungement Attorney to help you navigate the expungement process.

Are you or someone you know seeking expungement for a crime committed? If so, contact an experienced Columbus Expungement Attorney at Funkhouser Law today!

This site is intended as general information and does not establish an attorney client relationship with the office of Douglas A. Funkhouser Co., L.P.A.

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