EXPUNGEMENT LAWYER SOUTH CAROLINA
How to Expunge Your Criminal Record
A criminal record, even an arrest, can change the course of your life. Having a conviction can affect your job, promotion, future employment, getting an apartment, even professional licensing. It shouldn’t, but with a conviction, that may be exactly what happens. If you find yourself in this situation, there is hope, you can do something about it. But you have to take action, you have to take the steps necessary to find out if you qualify. The first step is to contact a South Carolina expungement lawyer TODAY, I’m an experienced criminal defense attorney located in Charleston, SC. The consultation is free but the benefits could be huge. Call now at (843) 530-7813. Not all criminal records are permanent, so find out if you can clean up your record.
Should One Mistake Ruin Your Life?
No it shouldn’t and in South Carolina there is a process that lets you clean up your record, permanently. Not everyone qualifies, but if you do, the immediate and future benefits can be huge.
What is an Expungement in South Carolina?
A South Carolina expungement is the destruction or obliteration of criminal records relating to an arrest or a conviction. So what exactly is destroyed? An expungement will destroy all publicly available traces of the arrest and or the conviction including any booking record, mug shots, and fingerprints.
If You Were Not Convicted of a Crime
For non-convictions, your arrest record and related documents can be expunged in South Carolina:
- For ANY charge;
- If the charges against you were dropped (nol prossed) by the solicitor, or dismissed by a judge;
- Successfully completed a pre trial diversionary program;
- Successfully completed a conditional discharge;
- You were found not guilty.
If You Were Convicted of a Crime
If you were convicted of a crime then you may be eligible for an expungement in the following cases.
- First-offense conviction for a crime carrying a penalty of not more than 30 days imprisonment or a fine of $500, or both at least three (3) years from the date of conviction.
- A fraudulent check where you were convicted at least one (1) year from the date of conviction.
- Failure to stop for blue lights that was at least three (3) years from the date of conviction.
- First offense Criminal Domestic Violence (CDV) at least five (5) years from the date of conviction.
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First offense simple possession of any drug after three (3) years from the date of conviction.
See New Expungement Law
Frequently Asked Questions
Filing the application for an expungement does not take long usually within several days of meeting with you. The length of time for an expungement depends on several factors such as the size of county where the record is located and whether you are trying to expunge an arrest only or an arrest and conviction. Be prepared for it to take anywhere from 10 weeks up to six months for court to process the application and your records to be destroyed.
South Carolina Expungement Attorney
If you need a South Carolina Expungement Lawyer, call Charleston Criminal Defense Attorney Dale Savage at (843) 530-7813 for your free consultation.