Are you Eligible for an Expunction? And another? And another?

As of December 1, 2020, the expunction laws of North Carolina are expanding. Under the new expunction guidelines, you may be eligible for expunction relief for which you may not have been previously eligible. You may have the opportunity to expunge more charges than you were previously able to, or you may be able to expunge your record sooner than under former laws.
Dismissals or Findings of Not Guilty
One of the most important changes in the law is that petitioners will now be able to expunge more cases that have been dismissed or for which there was a finding of not guilty. First, there is no longer a limit on the number of expunctions a person can have for dismissed charges and charges for which there is a finding of not guilty. Second, a prior felony conviction no longer serves as a barrier to expunction relief. A convicted felon can now have dismissed charges expunged as well.
Waiting Periods Shortened
Another important change in the law is that petitioners will now be able to seek expunction relief sooner for old convictions.
Under the new law, a nonviolent misdemeanor conviction can be expunged as soon as five years from the date of conviction, multiple misdemeanor convictions can be expunged as soon as seven years from the date of conviction, and a nonviolent felony conviction can be expunged as soon as 10 years from the date of conviction. This allows petitioners to more quickly turn their lives around and have a fresh start. Instead of the long and laborious waiting period under the old law, petitioners may now seek relief much earlier and move on with their lives without fear of their pasts.
The new expunction laws have expanded expunction opportunities for petitioners in North Carolina. Under the new laws, you may be eligible for relief for which you were previously denied or you may be eligible for relief much sooner than you were previously advised. Contact the Criminal Litigation Team of Hatch, Little & Bunn today and see if you are eligible to have your past wiped clean so you can move out of your past and into your future.

By Aaron Goforth | Published August 29, 2017 | Posted in Expunctions | Comments Off on Are you Eligible for an Expunction? And another? And another?