Expungement Attorney in Augusta Can Help Get Your Criminal Record Cleared
The immediate fear that comes along with a criminal conviction is what will happen next. Will you have to go to jail? Go in debt with fines? Those are all valid concerns, but once you’ve paid your dues, will this stay on your record and affect the rest of your life? A seasoned Augusta expungement attorney might be able to get many of these convictions cleared. A cleared record would bring relief, knowing that future employers or other people or organizations that conduct background checks won’t be swayed by the dark cloud that comes with a criminal history.
It is pivotal to work with an expungement attorney who has a track record for success in this field, as there are a variety of complicated laws that dictate which criminal charges are eligible for expungement and who is allowed to get these convictions cleared from their record. If you want to get your criminal record cleared, speak to an expungements attorney today.
What is Expungement?
Expungement is essentially the act of removing something or erasing it completely. The more detailed definition is that it’s a court process that clears a criminal conviction or seals it from the public record. This is commonly seen in juvenile court cases but it always happens when an adult attempts to clear their slate. If you’re able to win an expungement, it means the judge will treat the existence of a criminal conviction as if it had never happened. This removes your convictions from the public record so that any future employer will have no idea it happened.
To get a conviction expunged from your record, you’ll have to get it ordered from a judge. The expungement process is not easy and isn’t available for every type of crime, but with the help of a seasoned expungements lawyer, your record can be cleared and you can move forward with your life confidently.
Who is Eligible for Expungement?
Not every criminal in Augusta is eligible for expungement, though many are. The biggest factor is prison. If an individual has gone to prison for their crime, they are not eligible for expungement. That said, if you were convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that didn’t involve prison and you’ve completed all the requirements of your probation, you could be eligible to get your record cleared. Your record also can’t be cleared if you’re in the midst of a trial or if your crime was a sex crime. If your conviction doesn’t fall into one of those categories, you should speak to an Augusta expungements attorney who can analyze your case and determine if you’re eligible for an expunction.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire an Expungement Attorney?
While a personal injury attorney’s fee is often a percentage of what they win, in an expungement case, the win is your freedom and peace of mind. Can you really put a number on that? That said, the costs to hire an expungement lawyer are based on the specific case, the number of crimes on the record, and how serious they are.
Hiring an expungement lawyer may cost as little as a few hundred dollars or it could be thousands if it goes to trial. A few things that may factor into your overall cost are filing fees, how long the case lasts and how complicated it is to expunge, and whether or not the record will be sealed or completely cleared. Regardless, having an expungement attorney work to clear your record will likely be worth it in the long run, as having that mark on your record could make it difficult to earn a living.
Should I Hire an Expungement Lawyer?
Hiring an expungement lawyer is not required for an expungement; that said, anyone seeking to clear their record will likely want an experienced Augusta expungement lawyer fighting by their side. Many individuals who seek to expunge their own record end up having the request for expungement denied. The legal process is much more complicated than most people think. Numbers don’t lie, and hiring a skilled lawyer has been proven to be a vital step in winning the expungement. Contact The Hawk Firm today at 706-429-5529 to start the process of getting your record cleared today.