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Contact Us FAQs
Take a look through our most frequently asked questions about expungements. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, feel free to contact us directly.
If I have multiple convictions, are they still eligible for an expungement?
AnswerDepending on the timing of these convictions, yes your multiple convictions may each be eligible for an expungement. The process is done on a case by case basis, so multiple cases will require multiple petitions.
Can any felony be reduced to a misdemeanor?
There are certain felonies in California that can be prosecuted either as a felony or a misdemeanor. In some of these cases, had you been charged with and convicted of a felony, there are some circumstances in which it is possible to get your felony reduced and then expunged.
Will the expungement mean it’s like the conviction never took place?
Unfortunately there will always exist a record of court proceedings, and there will still be background check companies that do not update their records. There are also circumstances under which you will still have to disclose that you were at one point convicted of a crime even if that conviction has been expunged. However the benefits are still substantial when applying for jobs, getting a loan, traveling, or even trying to volunteer.
How long is the expungement process?
Every court is going to be slightly different, but you are usually looking at somewhere between 60-120 days for the full process. There are varying factors including how backlogged the particular court, their preferred calendaring process, severity of crime, etc.
Will an expungement still show up on a background check?
In California once your record is expunged by court order, the clerk should then inform the FBI and DOJ that your case has been dismissed. This should be reflected on things like LiveScan that pull information from these government services. However private background check companies are not notified of the dismissal, although there are services that allow for expedited record updates to many of the major companies.