Expungements
Having a criminal record can greatly impact your quality of life and access to various opportunities. However, once you have paid your debt to society and have done your time, it can be possible to conceal your record from the public through an expungement. If successful, this can help you start over again without the black stain of a criminal record being visible and following you in a way that adversely impacts various aspects of your life.
Expunging your record in Louisiana means that all of the details of your criminal history will be removed from public access. This would include your arrest and conviction and all other information surrounding your criminal history. What expungement does not mean is a complete destruction of your record. So, while the public may no longer be able to see it, under certain circumstances, typically only law enforcement and specified licensing agencies would be eligible to review it.
Expungement doesn't just make your criminal record private but also relieves you of the need to admit that you have a criminal record. In other words, in situations where you would traditionally be asked about a criminal history, such as when applying for a job, you are not obligated to disclose your criminal history after expungement.
Working with an attorney can be beneficial in improving your chances of obtaining an expungement. Expungements are not guaranteed under the law in most situations, so a judge usually has discretion on whether to grant or deny a request for an expungement.
An expungement attorney can be your advocate and attempt to convince a judge to grant your request. An expungement attorney will evaluate your case and determine the most effective strategy so you can secure the best possible outcome under the circumstances.
At the Law Offices of Philip B. Adams, LLC, our skilled and competent expungement attorney has represented many individuals, helping them clean their records to start their lives over again for the better.
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Philip B. Adams.
Louisiana Expungement
Certain convictions may be expunged in Louisiana, while others may not. Typically, unless a crime involves a minor, is a violent crime, or is a sex crime, expungement may be possible. However, it is critical to understand that before a state court non-violent felony or misdemeanor can be expunged, there will be varied wait times.
The convictions that are generally barred from expungement include sex crimes, violent crimes, and misdemeanor stalking or domestic abuse battery.
Interim expungement is also possible under Louisiana’s criminal laws. Interim expungement happens when you are arrested for one crime but convicted of another. The original arrest will be expunged. People often apply for interim expungement if the arrest charge was serious, but the crime of conviction was less serious. It's understandable that a person, even if convicted, may want to minimize the possibility of the more serious original charge of arrest from being accessed by the public.
Note that even if you were only arrested for an offense and later found not guilty or had your charge dismissed, you may still have a record of arrest (although not a record of conviction). A record of arrest can still follow you and adversely impact you in terms of job opportunities, for example. For this reason, you may wish to pursue an expungement even if you were only arrested for an offense and never convicted.
Call an Experienced Louisiana Expungement Attorney Today
Attorney Adams's top priority is helping aggrieved individuals with a criminal record secure the best possible outcome and reclaim their lives through a Louisiana expungement. An individual is not entitled to an unlimited number of regular expungements of conviction, so having an expungement for a conviction can make a big difference in one's outlook and future potential. However, interim expungements are unlimited, as are expungements on crimes where you were given a "not-guilty" verdict. The bottom line is that there can be life and a light at the end of the tunnel after you incur a record in Louisiana.
If you were convicted of a crime in Louisiana or otherwise incurred a criminal record of arrest, you need a committed and experienced expungement attorney on your side. Contact the Law Offices of Philip B. Adams today for a case evaluation.