How Does the Expungement Process Work in Pennsylvania?
The first thing you should do is discuss the parameters of your case with your Pennsylvania expungement attorney to determine it is viable for expungement. The next step is moving forward in the legal system. When expunging a criminal record in Pennsylvania, your attorney will file the expungement motion with the Clerk of Courts in the appropriate county. Once filed, a hearing will be scheduled to finalize the expungement before a Common Pleas Judge. Depending on whether the District Attorney objects to your petition and other details surrounding your case, your presence at the hearing may be waived, and your lawyer can address the issue in your place.
At the hearing, the judge hears testimony and, if applicable, signs the Order for Expungement. At that stage, the court will send certified copies of the order to all agencies listed on the motion that hold your criminal record. Once those agencies receive the order, they must destroy all paperwork and electronic data relating to your case. They must then mail verification to your attorney, proving their compliance. While these may seem like small administrative steps in a more extensive process, this documentation is pertinent in providing proof that your record has been expunged should you ever need to provide it.
Expunging your record in Pennsylvania may take some time, which is one of the reasons it is essential to work with a qualified expungement attorney on the process. At Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford, we monitor compliance, push them to comply when they refuse, collect the verifications, and mail copies to you once they’re all collected. We don’t let details fall through the cracks because we know how important this is to those that desperately need another chance at the life they deserve.
In other words, we make sure that you are informed and involved in every step of the process. We help you have peace of mind in knowing your record is cleared and you can pursue the second chance you deserve.