Don’t let arrests or convictions from your past affect your future! If you were arrested or convicted of a crime and enough time has passed there’s a good chance you’re eligible to completely clear (expunge) your criminal record.
Whether it is a new job, new apartment, or volunteering at your children’s school, criminal history can follow you for life and ruin your plans for a bright future. Erik Nicholson has expunged hundreds of criminal convictions allowing his clients to land their dream job, purchase new homes, and avoid the stigma of being a convicted criminal.
Expungement is the process of clearing the record of an arrest or conviction from your record. When an expungement is performed properly it’s as though the arrest or conviction never happened. All records held by government agencies are ordered destroyed, and you are legally able to deny that you were ever arrested or convicted. Once expunged the prior arrest or conviction will not show on official background checks.
Expungement Waiting Period
No Complaint or Dismissals
- If the State declines to file charges, sometimes called a “no complaint” – you may file for expungement 60 days after your scheduled arraignment date.
- Charges are dismissed – you are eligible to file for expungement immediately upon dismissal.
Criminal Convictions
- Class A felonies: call for consultation – expungement is only available in limited circumstances
- Class B felonies (person): 20 years*
- Class B felonies (non-person): 7 years
- Class C felonies: 5 years
- Class A misdemeanors: 3 years
- Class B misdemeanors: 1 year
- Class C misdemeanors: 1 year
- Violations: 1 year
Note: To be eligible for expungement, you must have completed all sentencing requirements and have no active cases pending in any court.
*Class B person felonies are not eligible for expungement until 20 years have passed from the date of conviction or the date the person was released from prison and the person has not been arrested or convicted of any other offense during that 20 years.
Don’t let a prior criminal episode bite you
Erik Nicholson has been serving Oregon as a criminal defense attorney for the last 14 years. Clear your record before it’s too late!
