"EXPUNGEMENTS" 3rd Edition

Newly Revised and Expanded 2004 Third Edition - Now includes both Criminal and Civil Records.  Including  State and  Federal Departments and Administrative Agency Records Expungement, Sealing, Pardons,  Amendment and related procedures using the latetest and most advanced legal filing to obtain records relief. Now with added coverage for all military branches. Read everything on this page  and be sure to review the FAQ page linked below.

Pass a background check when applying for a job with a record expungement or amendment and enjoy life like everyone else.   

CRIMINAL RECORDS - It is tragic that over 4 million American citizens have a legal record that continues to disable them in society long after they have served their sentences and paid the penalties. Both civil and criminal  records often  become a life sentence disabling many Americans from enjoying  life's freedom to pursue their goals and ambitions. Criminal records resulting  from a marijuana arrest, a one-time illegal act of a felony, crime or misdemeanors are a difficult disability to overcome without the expungement of these records. 

CIVIL RECORDS - Millions more have a  similar disability   because of records that have wrongful, inaccurate or incomplete civil and administrative records that are kept by state and federal government departments and agencies including all branches of the military. 

These disabling records and their resulting  sentence can prevent them from the right to vote, to hold elected office, obtaining veterans and other government benefits, denies them many other civil rights that the rest of the population enjoy and ends the dream of ever succeeding in life. But considered by many the most important handicap and disability of them all is the ability and the right to secure a job. When it comes to criminal records this is especially true for people convicted of lesser crimes and  former youthful offenders. These offenders with records most often are found in and come from the minority and poor communities. At times, these individuals had no or limited legal representation resulting in a conviction that a well paid attorney could easily and simply have had dismissed prior to any trial. You see it every day rich people getting away with murder.

In a recent interview political activist Angela Davis talked about the economics of the "Prison Industrial Complex." She pointed out that 1/3 of African-American males of voting age in Florida were unable to vote because of their history of interface with the prison- industrial-complex. Once a person is "criminalized" the ability to sell their labor is minimized to a point often far below minimum wage even when work is offered when there is knowledge of the applicant’s criminal record. This is outrageous in a civilized society. No individuals or groups should be  victims of  the systematized criminalization of our youth. It must stop, be prevented and reversed whenever possible.

This loss of the ability to secure a job is considered by the majority of persons the most the important of them all. This is especially true for former youthful offenders that now have a criminal record, especially in minority and disadvantaged communities. At times, these youthful offenders had no or limited legal representation resulting in a conviction that a well paid attorney could easily and simply have had dismissed prior to any trial through pre-trail intervention or disposed of for lack of substantial evidence. In one study (Appendix-Table 1), it was determined that less than 50 per cent of all non-motor vehicle criminal offenses resulted in dismissal or not guilty when defendants were represented or argued innocence at trial.

CRIMINAL RECORDS CHANGES

Errors and inaccuracies in civil administrative records can also be debilitating when it comes to securing benefits and also resulting in a wrongful background check when applying for work. There records must also be changed. The new second edition has expanded coverage into this important area. 

CIVIL RECORDS - State and Federal Employees including Military Records
Time deadline requirements
Administrative Procedures
Court Procedures
Amendment of Records
Changes for Inaccurate or incomplete records
Elimination of Injustices resulting from erroneous  records

Answers to many of the most important questions that you do not even know to ask that you must ask - all answered.

*Exceptions for most expungements are rapists, child molesters and traitors.  Nearly every other crime is eligible. Whether or not anyone is granted such relief is highly dependent on the facts and circumstances of a case.

Click here for Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Expungements