Expungement

A criminal charge can have a major negative effect on your future personal life and employment capabilities. You may not qualify for particular jobs, or may enter any new social field with a negative and damaging reputation. However, in some cases, a person may have any record or evidence of their crime and conviction removed from the public’s reach and destroyed. This process is called expungement, and under Rhode Island law, a person who meets certain requirements can have their record expunged after a dismissal or after a certain amount of time past the completion of a sentence.

Expungement can take place at different time periods depending on the severity of the charge. Expungement can take place:

• Immediately after a crime is dismissed
• 5 years after the completion of a misdemeanor sentence
• 10 years after the completion of a felony sentence

Any person who has his or her record expunged is released from all penalties that result from the crime conviction, unless later convicted of another crime. In that case, the expunged conviction may still be considered a previous conviction. Expungement allows a person to legally state that he or she has never been convicted of the crime on most applications for employment, licenses, or other civil privileges.

Contact Us

A DUI charge can remain on your record and have harmful effects on your future life. Qualified Rhode Island DUI expungement lawyer James Powderly can fight to have your charge dismissed or lessened, or can assist you in expunging the charge from your record. Contact our offices today at 401-662-9006 to discuss your situation and your legal options.