Expungements in California

Everyone makes mistakes. When those mistakes make their mark on a criminal record, it can destroy goals, hopes and dreams. Just one criminal conviction can make it very difficult to find employment or make advances in your career, only adding to your embarrassment.

Luckily, California law makes it possible to get an expungement off your criminal record. An “expungement” is court-ordered process in which a criminal conviction or criminal report is “sealed.” Once your record is expunged, your criminal charge will not come up on your criminal background search for many employers and agencies. Some employers and agencies will still have access, but a vast majority of employers will not see the past criminal charge.

The rules for getting an expungement vary state to state. In most states, there is no expungement for those with felonies or sex offenses. Juvenile and misdemeanor convictions usually are eligible for expungement. Expungements can be especially beneficial for someone looking for a job. In California, most misdemeanors and some felony cases can be expunged.

To qualify for an expungement in California, you need to have finished probation, followed all court orders and have no new charges made against you. After the defined time period has passed, you may be eligible for expungement. To find out more, you should consult a criminal lawyer.

It is important to keep in mind that some criminal offenses cannot be expunged, or will take several years for expungement to take place. Expungement for sexual offenses or DUI cases, for example, should be discussed with a criminal defense lawyer, who can explain procedures and other outcomes.

A criminal defense lawyer can help relieve you from your prior conviction by helping you expunge your record.

About Camilo Concha:
Camilo Concha, is the founder of Attorney Search Network, a  Lawyer Referral Service in California certified by the California State Bar and meets all the American Bar Standards as a Lawyer Referral Service. Attorney Search Network has been in business for over 11 years.

When is the right time to update your will or trust?

Changes occur in everyone’s life. When changes such as marriage, birth, divorce, child adoption, death of a family member, or the value of an estate affect the terms of a will or trust, it is essential to update your will or trust. In that case, it is advised to consult an estate planning lawyer.

Any major change in your life is a good reason to make your will or trust current. Furthermore, if you have not yet set up a will or trust, now it the perfect time to do so. The last thing you would want is for the courts to decide all matters of distribution for you when you die without a will. The last thing your family would want is a higher tax burden in case your will is not updated.

Most often, wills are written years ago and do not reflect significant changes. Updating your will or trust can help avoid unfortunate situations such as leaving assets to deceased spouses or not recognizing new grandchildren as beneficiaries.

An estate planning lawyer can help you update your will or trust to reflect how you would like to allocate your estate. A lawyer can create an amendment to your will, print it out and have it signed and witnessed.

About Camilo Concha:
Camilo Concha, is the founder of Attorney Search Network, a  Lawyer Referral Service in California certified by the California State Bar and meets all the American Bar Standards as a Lawyer Referral Service. Attorney Search Network has been in business for over 11 years.