Clearing a conviction
A conviction from years ago can sometimes be set aside
If you finished the sentence, stayed out of trouble and enough time has passed, a court may be able to set it aside. We find out whether yours is one.
Which convictions qualify, how long you wait and what the judge weighs all depend on the charge and the state. Some offenses can never be cleared. For the rest, the questions are usually the same: what was the charge, when did everything end, and what has your record looked like since?
We read your whole record first, because an old case you'd forgotten can change the answer.
Often worth asking about when
The sentence, fines and probation are all finished
Several years have passed without a new conviction
The charge was a misdemeanor or a lower-level felony
The record is what's standing between you and a job, a license or a lease
At the hearing
What a judge looks at
There isn't a single test. These are the things that come up again and again, and what we prepare for each.
The charge itself
Some offenses are off the table. Others are eligible after a longer wait. We tell you where yours falls before you spend anything on a filing.
Time since it ended
Counted from the end of the sentence or probation, not from the arrest. We work out your date and write it down for you.
Your record since
A clean stretch helps. A single new case can reset the clock. We check for anything you may have forgotten about.
Who you are now
Work, school, family, a steady address. A short letter from an employer or a pastor often says more than a page of argument.
Sample matters
Three sample endings
Invented examples of how matters like these can end: what the record was, and what the court did.
Set aside
Misdemeanor conviction
A shoplifting conviction nearly ten years old, with the fines paid and no new cases.
2025
Granted
Felony conviction
A drug possession felony. The judge set it aside after a hearing with two letters from employers.
2024
Denied
Conviction with a new case
The petition was filed too early. We told the client the date to return and refiled then.
2024
These are invented sample matters, not past clients. Every case is different, and past results don't guarantee a similar outcome.
Convictions
Questions about clearing a conviction
Will I have to stand in front of a judge?
Often there's a short hearing, and yes, you attend. We prepare you for it and go with you. Some courts decide on the papers.
Can a felony be cleared?
Some can, after a longer wait. Others can't. The answer turns on the exact charge, so we look it up rather than guess.
What if I have more than one conviction?
It can change the answer, in either direction. Bring everything you remember and we'll check the rest against the record.
Wondering if yours is one of them?
Send us the county and the year. We'll tell you what's likely before you pay for anything beyond the fee.