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Is getting off probation early and expungement worth it? Former Prosecutor and San Diego Attorney Lawyer explains

On Behalf of | Jan 23, 2017 | Firm News |

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In today’s economic hard times, our firm receives numerous inquiries about clearing one’s criminal record. The concern expressed is almost always that a prospective employer may reject a job applicant who has a criminal record, or pass over an existing employee for a promotion or pay raise on the same basis. There is no doubt an expungement is worth the investment. Call our office now at 858-751-4384 to get started.

Check the video informational on expungement here.

With technology today, background checks are quick and may be required for the employer’s commercial and/or liability insurance. Professional organizations, AYSO soccer, the Boy Scouts of America and other organizations also do background checks.

Expungement is a seemingly well-known method for having a court order that a prior guilty or no contest plea be set aside and replaced with a not guilty plea and dismissal of the case. Expungement, it must be clarified, does not “erase” or delete one’s criminal record as it does in other states.

One of the best effects of an expungement is that one who receives an expungement under Penal Code § 1203.4 can legally answer any private employer job application asking about a conviction with “no”. This not only improves one’s job prospects and further promotion chances but removes the stigma associated with having any conviction. This does not apply to somone who works with the government.

However, expungement does have its limits. If one is applying for a government job, expungement will not erase a conviction from view. The government database will still show how the case progressed and that expungement of the record occurred only at the end. ‘

An expungement also does not have collateral benefits of renewing one’s rights to use or own a firearm if the original plea conditions prohibited this. Expungement also does not relieve one of the requirement to register as a sex offender under Penal Code § 290, if the case was a sex offense. Likewise, expungement does not eliminate immigration consequences of a conviction except in very limited circumstances such as a first-time drug possession conviction.

Nevertheless, many people express satisfaction after the court issues an order of expungement. While it cannot erase memories of the conviction for our clients, it seems to bring closure to a chapter in their lives they do not want to relive. It gives the client a “fresh start.” If the client is applying for a non-government job the client feels he or she is on equal footing with anyone who has never suffered a conviction.

Lastly, it merits mention that expungement is often considered unnecessary. This is academically true to some degree in certain contexts, particularly in credit reporting. For example, under California’s “Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act,” codified at Civil Code § 1786.18(a)(7), a credit reporting agency is not supposed to report any “record of arrest . . . misdemeanor complaint or conviction of a crime that, from the date of disposition, or release, or parole, antedate the report by more than seven years.”

Consequently, once seven years has passed since the conviction, credit reporting agencies are supposed to delete a conviction from one’s credit report. This should help one who is attempting to rent a living space from a landlord or property management company. However, in our experience of over 30 years, this is never done by the credit reporting agencies, making expungement helpful, if not necessary.

Call the law office of Mark Deniz now to get the ball rolling at 858-751-4384.

 

Here is the code:

1203.4.

(a) (1) In any case in which a defendant has fulfilled the conditions of probation for the entire period of probation, or has been discharged prior to the termination of the period of probation, or in any other case in which a court, in its discretion and the interests of justice, determines that a defendant should be granted the relief available under this section, the defendant shall, at any time after the termination of the period of probation, if he or she is not then serving a sentence for any offense, on probation for any offense, or charged with the commission of any offense, be permitted by the court to withdraw his or her plea of guilty or plea of nolo contendere and enter a plea of not guilty; or, if he or she has been convicted after a plea of not guilty, the court shall set aside the verdict of guilty; and, in either case, the court shall thereupon dismiss the accusations or information against the defendant and except as noted below, he or she shall thereafter be released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the offense of which he or she has been convicted, except as provided in Section 13555 of the Vehicle Code. The probationer shall be informed, in his or her probation papers, of this right and privilege and his or her right, if any, to petition for a certificate of rehabilitation and pardon. The probationer may make the application and change of plea in person or by attorney, or by the probation officer authorized in writing. However, in any subsequent prosecution of the defendant for any other offense, the prior conviction may be pleaded and proved and shall have the same effect as if probation had not been granted or the accusation or information dismissed. The order shall state, and the probationer shall be informed, that the order does not relieve him or her of the obligation to disclose the conviction in response to any direct question contained in any questionnaire or application for public office, for licensure by any state or local agency, or for contracting with the California State Lottery Commission.

(2) Dismissal of an accusation or information pursuant to this section does not permit a person to own, possess, or have in his or her custody or control any firearm or prevent his or her conviction under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 29800) of Division 9 of Title 4 of Part 6.

(3) Dismissal of an accusation or information underlying a conviction pursuant to this section does not permit a person prohibited from holding public office as a result of that conviction to hold public office.

(4) This subdivision shall apply to all applications for relief under this section which are filed on or after November 23, 1970.

(b) Subdivision (a) of this section does not apply to any misdemeanor that is within the provisions of Section 42002.1 of the Vehicle Code, to any violation of subdivision (c) of Section 286, Section 288, subdivision (c) of Section 288a, Section 288.5, subdivision (j) of Section 289, Section 311.1, 311.2, 311.3, or 311.11, or any felony conviction pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 261.5, or to any infraction.

(c) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), subdivision (a) does not apply to a person who receives a notice to appear or is otherwise charged with a violation of an offense described in subdivisions (a) to (e), inclusive, of Section 12810 of the Vehicle Code.

(2) If a defendant who was convicted of a violation listed in paragraph (1) petitions the court, the court in its discretion and in the interests of justice, may order the relief provided pursuant to subdivision (a) to that defendant.

(d) A person who petitions for a change of plea or setting aside of a verdict under this section may be required to reimburse the court for the actual cos
ts of services rendered, whether or not the petition is granted and the records are sealed or expunged, at a rate to be determined by the court not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150), and to reimburse the county for the actual costs of services rendered, whether or not the petition is granted and the records are sealed or expunged, at a rate to be determined by the county board of supervisors not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150), and to reimburse any city for the actual costs of services rendered, whether or not the petition is granted and the records are sealed or expunged, at a rate to be determined by the city council not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150). Ability to make this reimbursement shall be determined by the court using the standards set forth in paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 987.8 and shall not be a prerequisite to a person’s eligibility under this section. The court may order reimbursement in any case in which the petitioner appears to have the ability to pay, without undue hardship, all or any portion of the costs for services established pursuant to this subdivision.

(e) (1) Relief shall not be granted under this section unless the prosecuting attorney has been given 15 days’ notice of the petition for relief. The probation officer shall notify the prosecuting attorney when a petition is filed, pursuant to this section.

(2) It shall be presumed that the prosecuting attorney has received notice if proof of service is filed with the court.

(f) If, after receiving notice pursuant to subdivision (e), the prosecuting attorney fails to appear and object to a petition for dismissal, the prosecuting attorney may not move to set aside or otherwise appeal the grant of that petition.

(g) Notwithstanding the above provisions or any other provision of law, the Governor shall have the right to pardon a person convicted of a violation of subdivision (c) of Section 286, Section 288, subdivision (c) of Section 288a, Section 288.5, or subdivision (j) of Section 289, if there are extraordinary circumstances.

 

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