Criminal Charges from Your Past Hurting Your future?
A criminal conviction from the past always seems to have a way of causing problems at the worst possible times. Perhaps your criminal conviction stands in the way of your career. Maybe you’ve been told you’re not welcome to volunteer at your child’s school. Maybe your conviction prevents you from owning a firearm.
What Is Expungement?
Fortunately, you have options. In New Jersey, you can take advantage of a process called expungement. You can ask the court to remove your conviction from the public record. That way, the conviction doesn’t appear when someone runs a background check for you.
How Does an Expungement Work?
Expungement is a long process. There are a number of documents that you need to put together for your application. You’ll need information about your conviction. You need to prepare a petition for expungement. A New Jersey criminal defense attorney can evaluate your case to see if it qualifies.
When you get a court date, you need to send copies of the paperwork to a long list of people and organizations. These include the state attorney general, the county prosecutor, the police department where the offense occurred and even the jail warden if you served time. A mistake in any of the paperwork can be fatal to your petition.
With so much on the line, it’s helpful to work with a New Jersey criminal defense attorney such as Michele Finizio Esq. She’s helped countless clients find success in the expungement process. Your lawyer uses her expertise to prepare the paperwork. They represent you at your court hearing and advocate on your behalf.
Defending Against Current Criminal Charges in New Jersey
If you’re facing current criminal charges, there are things that you can do to keep yourself from having a problematic record forever. Although the courts don’t expunge driving offenses, a Camden Jersey DUI charge is often defensible. There are ways that you can attack the case or negotiate for reduced charges. In other types of cases, there are deferral and diversion programs that may be helpful. Attorney Michele Finizio can help you explore your options.