When your past interferes with your future, you might need an experienced San Diego criminal defense lawyer to assist you in cleaning up your record. Because a criminal record is a public record any one can view, several people can see your case file and view what happened in your criminal case. However, if an attorney assisted you through the process of obtaining an expungement under California Penal Code Section 1203.4, then they could provide some relief for you and your family.
An expungement is the process whereby the court will dismiss the conviction against you. First, you can withdraw your plea of guilty, or the judge can set aside a guilty verdict. Next, you will enter a plea of not guilty. Finally, the court can dismiss the case against you.
Sounds Great! However, the case can still be found by anyone looking at your file, as it does not erase or wipe away the conviction. Any conviction you received will still remain on your record and this process does not absolve your criminal conduct.
Where this does make a difference is applying for jobs. What an expungement will do is allow you to say that your conviction was dismissed. When you are applying for a job you must answer “yes” if on the application it asks, “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?” However, if you did get your conviction expunged, you can now legally reply “no” if asked whether or not you are a convicted felon. Furthermore, an expungement does not relieve you of your responsibility to register as a sex offender and does not give you the right to own or possess a firearm.
Come in and see an experienced criminal defense attorney at Wallin & Klarich. It is essential to speak with a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney if you are seeking to clean up your criminal record. If you or someone you love is seeking an expungement in California, contact the experienced Southern California criminal defense lawyers at Wallin & Klarich today at 1-888-280-6839 or www.wklaw.com for a consultation of your case. We treat all our clients like members of our own family.
