Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

With California's unemployment rate approaching 12%, jobs are hard to find these days. A criminal record drastically reduces your chances of being hired and limits your employment opportunities. Many employers will not hire people with a criminal record. People with a criminal conviction are not eligible to obtain a professional license, meaning they cannot work as a realtor, stock broker, doctor, lawyer or in certain other professions that require a state license. Oftentimes a misdemeanor conviction or a youthful indiscretion can create a considerable stumbling block to getting a job. Many employers simply throw out applications in which the answer to the question "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" is answered "Yes." Expungement can allow you to clear the slate and truthfully answer that question "No."

"In California, an expungement is a legal process by which a criminal conviction is dismissed," said criminal defense attorney Stephen Rodriguez. "A guilty plea, no contest plea or a finding of guilt by a judge or jury is set aside and the case is dismissed." An expungement "does not seal or destroy your criminal records," the expert Los Angeles lawyer explained. "The arrest, prosecution and conviction records remain in the file, but a notation is placed in the file that the conviction has been dismissed." Instead of a guilty verdict, your file shows a not guilty plea and dismissal of the case by the court.

There are certain exceptions, of course, and expunging a record does not exempt it from counting against you as a prior conviction under California's Three Strikes Law or in DUI cases. But expunging your record does remove the social stigma of criminal conviction and gives you an advantage when applying for a job. Contact Los Angeles expungement attorney Stephen Rodriguez for a personal consultation and to find out more about expungement.