What to Know About Hiring a Criminal Record Expungement Lawyer

Everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have mistakes sink like Nessie back into a sea of memory without leaving a trace (like the outfit you wore to your first high school date), while other mistakes can be more difficult to erase and may affect your future in more significant ways. If you have a criminal record, hiring an expungement lawyer may be a good option to help minimize the effect the past can exert on your present and future.

  1. Determining your status

“The expungement process can be tedious, and for good reason, but hiring a professional will ensure that you can pursue all options for which you qualify,” said DWI lawyer, Brockton Hunter. “Because expungement requirements vary greatly by jurisdiction, it’s worth it to hire someone who has expertise working in your geographic area to ensure that you’re using all of the resources available to you. Since most expungement lawyers don’t charge for an initial meeting in which you will determine your eligibility, the benefit of seeking help vastly outweighs the prospect of trying to figure out the complexities of the legal system alone.”

  1. Expungement versus sealing

“If you’re not familiar with the legal landscape of your jurisdiction, you may waste significant time and money seeking an expungement when, in fact, you only qualify for a sealing of your record,” said Thomas Beedem, a long term disability lawyer. “Consulting with an expert at the outset of the process will minimize the frustration you will experience and cut the amount of time you’ll waste.”

  1. Doing it right the first time

It’s much harder to correct a mistake once the order for expungement or sealing a record has been signed than it is to simply do it correctly the first time. Since you have one clean shot at expungement before the process gets even more complicated than it already is, consulting with a professional will ensure that your process of minimizing past mistakes doesn’t incur even more permanent damage.

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