Category: Criminal Record Sealing / Expungement

After being charged with a crime, many of our clients voice the biggest concern over all else: “Will I go to jail?” 

While incarceration is certainly no fun, going to jail or prison may not be the worst penalty you encounter if you are being convicted of a crime in North Carolina. 

For many North Carolinians convicted of a criminal offense — whether major or minor — the most devastating consequence is the lifelong stain on your criminal record.  

How and When Your Criminal Record Can Be Used

In simple terms, a criminal [...]

The criminal court system in North Carolina is based on the premise of rehabilitation. Ideally, once you’ve paid your debt to society, you should be welcomed back into the community as an equal contributor to society.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen.

Most people, in fact, never get full restoration of their rights and status after conviction — and sometimes when charges never led to more than an arrest!

A criminal record in this state can be like a scarlet letter. Its effects can reach your job opportunities, living arrangements, education opportunities, travel plans [...]

Every teenager – even the best of them – experiences a lapse in judgement at some point during their formative years. Science says it’s inevitable. The parts of the brain which process decision-making and emotional drive simply aren’t fully developed.

Unfortunately, a number of them end up with a blip on their record which can lead to paying for those temporary lapses long after they should.

In this post, we’ll share how a North Carolina criminal record can affect the college admissions process and eligibility for financial aid, along with what you can [...]

Criminal record expunction is an important component of the criminal justice system. By taking advantage of the process, past offenders are able to attain relief from the devastating consequences of having a criminal record, allowing for better employment, housing, and even loan prospects.

The two basic effects of criminal record expunction are to delete records of the criminal case, and to restore the prior offender’s criminal status as if the expunged conviction had never occurred.

Below we cover the basic effects of expunction and the relief it offers, and also the rare situations [...]

If you’ve ever been charged with a crime, you are more than aware of the potential criminal penalties for the alleged offense. However, one of the most devastating consequences of a run-in with the law is not even technically part of your sentence: having a criminal record.

Most applications for employment, housing, colleges, and loans are subject to a criminal background check. A thorough background check will reveal not only convictions, but also arrests and court proceedings. This means that any kind of criminal legal trouble can be a black mark on your [...]