Records Clearance, Certificates of Rehabilitation, and Expungements

In the wake of a conviction, most people want to forget about this difficult event and move forward with their lives as quickly as possible.  Unfortunately, employers take prior convictions very seriously.  In these competitive economic times, clearing your record is more important than ever.  The experienced criminal defense attorneys at The Chastaine Law Office assist clients in the Sacramento area and throughout Northern California in obtaining certificates of rehabilitation and clearing records through expungements and other means.

Please note: the information contained below is not intended to be legal advice and may not apply in all cases or situations.  It does not establish a client-attorney relationship, and is intended ONLY to be used as a guideline of some of the possible considerations.

Depending upon your particular situation, there are several options to consider for record clearance.  The first concern with a felony conviction is to determine whether charges can be reduced to misdemeanors.  Many felonies can be reduced pursuant to California Penal Code Section 17(b).  Once a conviction is reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor, the conviction is treated as a misdemeanor for all purposes.

If you have been granted probation, most convictions can be dismissed pursuant to Penal Code Section 1203.4. Such a dismissal allows you--in most situations--to tell employers that you do NOT have a criminal conviction on your record.

If you obtain a dismissal pursuant to Penal Code 1203.4 and a preset period of time has passed, you may be able to obtain a Certificate of Rehabilitation pursuant to Penal Code Section 4852.01.  There are many advantages to obtaining such relief.  Most notable is the ability to be relieved of the duty to register as a sex offender for certain offenses.

Michael Chastaine has successfully obtained numerous 1203.4 dismissals and Certificates of Rehabilitation on behalf of clients in Sacramento, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Placer, and Plumas counties.  At The Chastaine Law Office, you will find caring and competent lawyers doing excellent work for reasonable prices.  If you think you might be eligible for any of the above procedures, contact us today.