Seeking A Clean Slate Through Criminal Record Expungement

In Michigan, under a fairly broad range of circumstances, you can have your criminal record wiped clean by having your conviction set aside by the court. MCL 780.621 is the Michigan law pertaining to the expungement process. However, the process is not simple and requires a number of steps before it can be accomplished. When you contact the West Michigan Defense Team, our attorneys can help you correctly file the necessary documents to remove certain criminal offenses from your record.

A Basic Overview Of The Expungement Petition Process

If you are eligible to have one, or more, criminal convictions set aside, a petition to set aside the conviction must be filed in the same court where the conviction took place. In addition to filing the necessary paperwork, a certified copy of that conviction must also be filed along with two fingerprint cards with your fingerprints on them. Fingerprint cards can be obtained at most local police stations for a small fee.

Once the paperwork is put together and filed with the correct court, you will have to wait for about 60-90 days to have a hearing. This length of time is required so that the Michigan State Police and any other necessary arresting agency can process your fingerprints to ensure they are not connected to any other ongoing criminal investigations or offenses.

At the hearing, you will need to be present to testify as to why it is important that your conviction be set aside. The most common reason our clients cite is difficulty obtaining employment with a conviction on their record. Your attorney, the prosecuting attorney and the judge can ask questions of you at the hearing and, if successful, the judge will order the conviction set aside and all public records of it removed from the Law Enforcement Information Network (“LEIN”), the Michigan State Police Internet Criminal History Access Tool (“ICHAT”) and the local court system.

Discuss Your Options With Us During A Free Consultation

The attorneys at the West Michigan Defense Team have over 85 years of combined legal experience, with some of our attorneys having experience as prosecutors. We have helped thousands of clients resolve their criminal charges and move forward with their lives. We believe we can help you, too. To take advantage of a free initial consultation, call our office in Grand Rapids at 616-723-0152 or fill out our online contact form.