Expungements and Certificates of Rehabilitation in California differ in eligibility and what they avieve in cleaning up your criminal record. You are eligible for an expungement on a most misdemeanors or felonies so long as you did not get a state prison commitment, that means that your sentence included probation on a felony with no more than county jail, or any sentence on a misdemeanor or infraction, with or without probation. Certificates of Rehabilitation help clean up felony cases where an individual went to state prison and they can also can delete some misdemeanor P.C. 290 sex offense registration requirements.
Expungements allow you to withdraw your guilty plea or conviction and dismiss your case for most purposes. It does not seal your record but it will show a 1203.4 dismissal of the case and generally the conviction cannot be used to deny employment, deny promotions, or result in termination of employment in most instances. With felonies, it is best to also get the charge reduced to a misdemeanor if allowable. Certificates of rehabilitation do not do as much, but can declare that the defnedant has been rehabilitated, is fit to “exercise all civil and political rights of citizenship…” per California Penal Code 4852.13 and further acts as a pardon application to the Governor. There are stringent requirements, including a waiting period before application which varies in years depending on the underline offense.
Christoph Law Offices offer afree consultation by calling 760-941-5720. Attorneys Nicholas and William Christoph can review your specific case and let you know if you qualify and what is required to achieve the best post conviction remedy. Located for over 32 years across from Vista Courts, they have helped clean up hundreds of criminal records.
