Top Tier Expungement Attorney, Matthew Ruff

Call Matthew Directly For A Consultation 310-527-4100

Here is the situation, you had some minor indiscretion in your past, DUI , petty theft, drug possession, or public intoxication and now you are older, smarter and wiser and want to get a better job or some other important step in your life. However, the conviction may stand in your way. Matthew can help clear your record to allow you to move on. Expunging a past criminal conviction is the smartest thing you can do to protect your good name and reputation online and for background checks.

Among the most common expungement offense is that for DUI. Matthew has successfully expunged hundreds of DUI cases over the last 25 years. If you successfully completed probation in your case Matt can help get the charges dismissed for employment purposes and clean your criminal record. Even though an expungement will not erase or seal your past record, it will give you the peace of mind of knowing the charges were dismissed by a judge.

Although an expungement under Penal Code 1203.4 does not erase the conviction it does give you a significant benefit of not having to disclose it on most private job applications in California and it allows you to honestly state the charges were dismissed in most situations. Getting your re cord expunged puts you in the best position for employment. In Los Angeles County the process is fairly simple and affordable.

Matthew can also help you seal your arrest record in California. Recent legislation makes it easier for those who were arrested, but not convicted of a crime, to clear the record of arrest and seal the information from the general public. This can be done for crimes of DUI, petty theft, domestic violence and many other offenses. In the age of the internet it is crucial to do everything you can to keep negative information from public websites and background checks. Call Matthew today for a case assessment and determination whether your past arrest record can be sealed.

For example, Matthew recently cleaned a record for a client in Torrance who was convicted for DUI in Redondo Beach and was job hunting and needed it off his record.

Not many people know it but California law permits a person to have his or her case dismissed after they finish probation and stay out of trouble. This means that if you had a prior DUI, petty theft, shoplifting, or any other criminal offense you can essentially start fresh and avoid having to disclose potentially embarrassing convictions to potential employers.

Do you have a criminal record that you want to clear or clean up for a job or upcoming background check? California Law permits a person to withdraw his or her guilty or no contest plea after a person has successfully completed probation. In order for a person to qualify for this expungement relief he or she must satisfy a number of conditions. Most importantly is the condition that they complete their probationary grant successfully. This means that they must pay all fines and fees ordered by the Court, and all restitution must be paid to any victims. The individual must not have violated the terms of their probation in any way, for example the person seeking the expungement must not have sustained any new conviction or have been arrested for any new offense while on probation.

The next condition is that they had not been convicted for any offense excluded by statute that bars an expungement of the case. The offenses commonly barred are sex offenses listed under 290 of the Penal Code such as child molestation. Notably, the California Appellate Court ruled in December of 2006 that crimes of "attempt" such as attempted child molestation can be expunged under California Law. Which offenses fall under the exceptions are limited and an Attorney should be consulted to ensure the particular crime qualifies.

Once the conditions have been met, the next step is to file the petition with the proper Court requesting that the conviction be expunged from the defendant's record. Most Courts require fees be paid to file the legal petition, in addition the petition must be in the proper legal form and must be served on the appropriate agencies in order to be reviewed by the Judge. A Lawyer should be retained to be sure the petition for expungement is filed correctly.

Once the petition for an expungement has been granted by the Court, the person can, in most cases, state that he or she has not been convicted of a crime for purposes of private employment. In effect the case will have been dismissed. Torrance Expungement Attorney Matthew Ruff has 25 years experience cleaning records for clients on all manner of criminal cases including DUI, domestic violence, felony cass, gun charges and drug offenses.

A frequent problem is when a person wants to obtain an expungement early before their probation has ended. This often is the case when a person wants to clear his or her record in order to obtain employment or enter into the military or acquire a governmental license or permit. The process to obtain an expungement under these circumsatances is more complex and requires a Judge's order to terminate probation early before the case can be dismissed. Lawyers experienced with early terminations of probation and expungement Law should be consulted to ensure the motion is successful.

A third scenario is when someone wants to seal a juvenile record or expunge a case which ocurred when they were under the age of 18. The petition to seal juvenile records can be accomplished with the help of an experienced attorney familiar with juvenile law.

Another common problem is encountered when a person is arrested but no criminal charges were ever filed against them in Court. Here, the ordinary expungement process is inapplicable because there was no conviction of any criminal charge. However the person will still have an arrest record showing the offense. In this scenario an attorney can file a motion to destroy the arrest record and effectively "expunge" the arrest. This motion is very complex legally and has many formal requirements which should be handled by an experienced Lawyer.

Our Law Firm has succesfully obtained expungements and Dismissal of criminal convictions for both felony and misdemeanor cases in Los Angeles County, Kern County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County. The most common cases being DUI, Drug Possession, Assault & Battery, Domestic Violence, Theft, Shoplifting, Weapons Charges, Reckless Driving and many others.