In these tough economic times where unemployment and the competition for jobs is extremely intense many people are finding that past criminal convictions are keeping them from getting the jobs they want and in many case, any job at all. If you are among those people to know that in most cases it is possible to take actions that can help to “clean up” your criminal record and make you more employable. If you have a criminal conviction in Riverside County then you should consult with an experienced Riverside criminal defense lawyer to discuss your situation.

Factual Innocence Motions
Many people ask if they can “erase” a criminal conviction form their record and that is not possible in the vast majority of cases. A factual innocence motion is a motion that, if granted, would “seal and destroy” the arrest record of that person. This is one avenue where somebody’s record is essentially “erased”. The problem is that theses are very difficult motions to get granted and the Judge must find you “factually innocent” of the charges. These motions are mostly granted where there is a clear case of misidentification where the cops arrested the wrong guy. Even if criminal charges were brought against you and the case was ultimately dismissed or you were acquitted there is still no guarantee that a judge would find you “factually innocent”. If you were actually convicted of a crime then it would be virtually impossible to win a factual innocence motion. You should immediately consult with a Riverside criminal defense lawyer if you are looking to have your arrest record sealed.

Expungements
If you were convicted of a crime or an infraction then you may be eligible for an expungement of that conviction. It is important to know what an expungement does and that it does NOT erase the conviction form your record. An expungement, if granted, would allow you to withdraw your plea of guilty or no contest, enter a not-guilty plea, and have the case dismissed. Potential employers would be able to see that you were charged with a crime but the record would show that the case was dismissed. If your case is expunged then you would also be able to legally answer that you were never convicted of those charges on most employment and rental applications, although there are exceptions including public-sector jobs. In short, an expungement can help clean-up your criminal record and you should consult wit a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer to see if your cases qualify.

If you or a loved one has questions about cleaning up their criminal record in Southern California then you need the assistance of an experienced criminal defense firm to help win your case. Wallin & Klarich has been helping people facing these situations for over 30 years. Call now for a free phone consultation. We’ll be there when you call.