Expungements
Nonprofit Expungement Advocacy Services
Whether fairly or unfairly convicted of a crime, the existence of a criminal record can present many roadblocks to an individual’s future. In some cases, an expungement order can be issued by a court, removing the defendant’s criminal record. This can offer many benefits to someone seeking to live a normal life free of the unfair judgment placed on ex-offenders by society. Broken Wings offers expungement services nationwide. Learn more about our expungement services.
What Is Expungement?
A court can order the expungement of an ex-offender’s criminal record. The goal of an expungement is to erase state or federal records that show an arrest or conviction occurred. This can allow individuals to live their lives as though the criminal proceedings never happened. Expungements protect an individual’s criminal background from potential employers but not law enforcement agencies.
The Benefits of Expungement
Obtaining an expungement can be tedious, time consuming with many obstacles and require a great deal of work. So, why should you consider going through the process? Well, receiving an expungement of your criminal record can feel like a new start. At many key points in your life, you may be asked whether you committed a crime or were arrested. After an expungement, you can answer “no” to that question. This can be incredibly helpful when applying for employment, housing, loans, or even college.
Expungement vs. Pardons
It is helpful to understand that an expungement is not legal forgiveness for a crime. A pardon forgives a crime completely. An expungement is a process that solely focuses on removing the criminal record. On the other hand, pardons do not require the removal of the individual’s criminal records. One can receive a pardon but still have a criminal record. Pardons can be granted by members of the executive branch, such as the president of the United States or the governor of the respective state(s) of the conviction. Expungements must be granted by a judge or court order.
The Limits of Expungement
While an expungement can offer you many advantages, it does have its limits. An expungement can remove criminal records held by local, state, and federal organizations. However, an expungement does not remove other sources of evidence of an arrest or conviction from the public record. An expungement will not erase records in the public sphere, such as news articles, social media posts, or other non-governmental records.
Contact Us for Help Expunging Your Criminal Record
Expunging your criminal record can benefit you in many important ways, such as employment and housing. If you have a criminal record that you would like to expunge, The Broken Wings Club, Inc. may be able to help. We are not a law firm, and we cannot guarantee that your expungement will be granted. Our team can help ex-offenders understand and navigate the expungement process. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you obtain an expungement of your criminal record.