There are many reasons to hire an expungement attorney to help guide you through the complex and time-consuming expungement process. By hiring an expungement attorney, you are making an investment in the success of your case and in your future.
Licensed Expungement Attorney
A licensed expungement attorney will be familiar with the expungement process and therefore will better your chances of having your petition for expungement granted by seamlessly navigating you through the expungement process.
Here are a few important facts that you needs to know about hiring an expungement attorney:
An Expungement Attorney can help to guide you throughout the process:
One of the main reasons to hire an expungement attorney is to have the best possible chance of having your petition for expungement granted. Petitions for expungement are most often denied because court documents are not filed accurately or are not turned in on time.
Hiring an experienced expungement attorney that is well-versed in the expungement process may help prevent your case from being denied for needless reasons such as misfiled documents.
The right expungement attorney will also be able to help you gather evidence to support your cases such as pictures, letters of recommendation, and certificates of completion, and will represent you in court in the event that the district attorney objects to your petition for expungement.
Read: Why It’s Important To Hire A Defense Attorney Vs. Representing Yourself
Avoid hiring the wrong expungement attorney:
Make sure to avoid hiring a non-attorney to represent your case. There are many expungement websites that claim that they can help you to expunge your criminal record.
Most of these sites, however, are staffed by law clerks that are unable to represent you in court. Expungement laws vary depending on the state, as such the success of your case is contingent upon hiring an attorney who is licensed to practice law in your state and has experience expunging cases like yours in the county where your expungement hearing will be held. To avoid internet scams, make sure that the attorney meets the following requisites:
- The attorney’s billing address matches the attorney’s street address for the Bar Association records
- The attorney’s billing address matches the attorney’s street address
- The attorney gives you the comfort of paying on a credit card
- The attorney offers a flat fee with a payment plan, which gives you the comfort of knowing that you are not being charged for unnecessary escalating fees
- The attorney has success with granted cases in your county.
Ensure quality representation that will lead to success
Hiring an expungement attorney who specializes in expungements and is accustomed to the hurdles typically presented during the record-clearing process may help to ensure the success of your case.
For example, the attorney should be familiar with the arguments made by the District Attorney, and therefore should be equipped to counter the objection with the appropriate response. Expungement attorneys keep abreast of the changes in laws pertaining to record clearing, and thus may have a better understanding of complications that could be presented in complex cases.