Source: https://www.shouselaw.com/post-conviction-relief.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 19:19:53+00:00

Document:
If you are an immigrant and have a conviction for a deportable or inadmissible crime on your record, all is not lost. With the help of a skilled criminal immigration attorney, you may be able to receive some form of post-conviction relief that will make your conviction disappear for immigration purposes.
This is especially likely if you were convicted or pled guilty because of ineffective assistance of counsel--or because you were not properly informed of the potential immigration consequences of a conviction.
Example: Nikki is an immigrant from Jamaica. She has lived in the US for 15 years and has a green card.
One night, Nikki is riding in a car with several friends. They get pulled over, and the cop finds the drug Ecstasy in the glove compartment. Nikki and all of her friends are charged with possession of a controlled substance.
One of Nikki's friends (who is a US citizen) hires a lawyer, who advises the friend to enter a "no contest" plea. Nikki assumes that the same advice would apply to her as well and decide to plead "no contest" too.
1. Why Should Immigrants with Criminal Convictions Try to Get Post-Conviction Relief?
2. Can I Get Post-Conviction Relief Based on Ineffective Assistance of Counsel?
2.1. What are Padilla motions?
3. How Can a Motion for Re-Sentencing Help Me Avoid Deportation?
4. Can Changing a Felony to a Misdemeanor Save My Immigration Status?
5. Will Withdrawing a Guilty or No-Contest Plea Eliminate the Immigration Consequences of a California Conviction?
6. Can a Habeas Corpus Petition Help Me Avoid Deportation?
7. Which Forms of Post-Conviction Relief Will Not Eliminate Immigration Consequences?
7.1. Will post-conviction relief under Proposition 64 eliminate the immigration consequences of a marijuana conviction?
If, after reading this article, You have additional questions, we invite you to contact us.
1. Why Should Immigrants with California Criminal Convictions Try to Get Post-Conviction Relief?
The short answer is that a criminal conviction, even for certain minor offenses, can have disastrous immigration consequences for people who are not U.S. citizens.
If a non-citizen is deportable, that means s/he may be removed from the country unless s/he obtains effective post-conviction relief.
So-called "crimes of moral turpitude,"
Avoiding deportation or inadmissibility is a major priority for immigrants accused of crimes. The perfect outcome is to avoid a conviction for a deportable crime or an inadmissible crime in the first place.
But sometimes this is not possible. In those cases, post-conviction relief may be your best option.
Unfortunately, many immigrants who end up with convictions for deportable or inadmissible crimes (and end up seeking post-conviction relief as a result) took the advice of incompetent lawyers.
Criminal defense lawyers who do not understand immigration law may advise clients to plead guilty or "no contest" to crimes without fully understanding how the plea can threaten their immigration status. Had the immigrants known the whole story, they never would have accepted the deal.
In the next sections of this article, we discuss procedural tools that a non-citizen facing deportation or inadmissibility and his/her attorney can use to overturn a prior conviction. With all of these tools, ineffective assistance of counsel is a common reason for judges to grant post-conviction relief.
Example: Jose is from Honduras but has been a lawful permanent resident of the US for over 40 years. He even served in the US Armed Forces and fought in Vietnam.
Jose is caught with a large amount of marijuana in his tractor-trailer. His lawyer advises him to plead guilty to transportation of a controlled substance. His lawyer tells him he does not need to worry about any immigration consequences of a conviction because he has been in the country so long. So Jose pleads guilty.
"Padilla motions are potentially a very powerful tool for challenging a California criminal conviction with immigration consequences. But the law on Padilla motions in California and elsewhere is relatively new and is always changing. It's best to consult with an experienced criminal and immigration attorney to determine if a Padilla motion is a potential form of post-conviction relief for you."
A motion for re-sentencing is one way to receive post-conviction relief that can eliminate the immigration consequences of a conviction.
So depending on the nature of your conviction you may be able to eliminate the immigration consequences of the convictionby having your sentence reduced. An attorney who is experienced with this form of post-conviction relief can submit a motion for re-sentencing to the judge who handled your sentence initially.
Getting a conviction changed from a felony to a misdemeanor may also eliminate the immigration consequences of the conviction.
For example, a conviction for an "aggravated felony" -- a deportable crime25 -- unless it is actually a felony conviction.
If you are convicted of a crime as a felony wobbler and sentenced to probation, the judge may reduce your conviction to a misdemeanor after your probation has been completed -- if you can demonstrate to the court that you've been rehabilitated.31 You are less likely to be deported if your conviction is changed from a felony to a misdemeanor through this form of post-conviction relief.
Example: Hans is a German citizen living in the US on a green card. When he is 19, he is Involved in a burglary of a store. The prosecutor charges the crime as a felony, and Hans is Convicted of felony burglary--but receives felony probation as a sentence.
Hans is concerned about being deported or possibly inadmissible because of his conviction. He and his criminal immigration attorney therefore petition the judge to reduce his conviction to a misdemeanor, making it less likely that there will be immigration consequences.
Seeing that Hans has stuck to the terms of his probation and otherwise has a clean record, the judge agrees to this form of post-conviction relief.
One of the more common, and tragic, scenarios in criminal immigration law is when a non-citizen pleads guilty to a minor offense -- often a drug crime -- because s / he does not understand that even a minor conviction can in some cases lead to deportation or inadmissibility.
Example: Julio, a native of El Salvador and a lawful permanent resident of the US, is charged with possession of a controlled substance. He decides to plead guilty to the charge and is sentenced to three years of probation. Neither he, his lawyer, nor the judge accepting his plea realizes that this could make him deportable.
then you have the right to withdraw your plea and have the conviction vacated.40 This will function as a form of post-conviction relief that eliminates the immigration consequences of the conviction.
For example, if the court did not warn you about the potential immigration consequences -- but you are a paralegal trained in immigration law and clearly already knew about them -- then you may not be able to receive post-conviction relief under this law.
In different circumstances, a petition for writ of habeas corpus may be an appropriate form of post-conviction relief for an immigrant with a criminal conviction.
It is important to note that not every form of post-conviction relief immigration will eliminate the consequences of a conviction.
At the time of writing, it is uncertain whether vacating a marijuana conviction under Proposition 64 (legalizing recreational marijuana in California) will help non-citizens avoid deportation for such offenses.
Prop 64 was passed by California voters in November 2016. This law makes it legal for people 21 and older to possess and cultivate small amounts of marijuana for personal use, and allows people to sell marijuana if they have a state license to do so.
Health and Safety Code 11361.8 HS, passed as part of Prop 64, provides for post-conviction relief for people who were convicted of California marijuana offenses before legalization. These defendants can apply to have their convictions vacated and sealed if they would not have been guilty of a crime under the new law.
Unfortunately, there is a good chance that US immigration and federal courts will decide that this relief is "rehabilitative"--even though the drafters of Prop 64 put in language saying that prior marijuana convictions for which relief is available are "legally invalid."
If Prop 64 relief is deemed to be rehabilitative, it will not prevent defendants from being deported.
Still, vacating and sealing a marijuana conviction may make it difficult for federal immigration authorities to find out about the conviction or produce conclusive evidence that it ever occurred. This is reason enough for immigrants with marijuana convictions affected by the new law to at least attempt to obtain post-conviction relief through Prop 64.
If you or a loved one is in need of help with post-conviction relief in order to vacate a conviction for immigraiton purposes, and you are looking to hire an attorney for representation, we invite you to contact us at Shouse Law Group. We can provide a free consultation in our office or phone.
To learn about post-conviction relief for non-citizens in Nevada, please visit our page on post-conviction relief for non-citizens in Nevada.
Immigration & Nationality Act ("INA") 237, 8 USC 1227 - Deportable crimes [convictions for which a non-citizen may want to seek post-conviction relief].
See, e.g., Penal Code 1016.5 PC - Advisement concerning status as alien; reconsideration of plea; effect of noncompliance [can be a basis for post-conviction relief].
Penal Code 1018 PC - Defendant to plead in person; certain refusal of pleas; change of plea; corporate defendants; construction of section [May be basis of post-conviction relief].
INA 237 (a) (2) (B) - Deportable crimes [convictions for which a non-citizen may want to seek post-conviction relief].
See Penal Code 1018 PC [form of post-conviction relief], endnote 4 above.
See INA 237, endnote 1 above; INA 212, 8 USC 1182 - Inadmissible crimes [convictions for which a non-citizen may want to seek post-conviction relief].
INA 245, 8 USC 1255 - Adjustment of status of nonimmigrant to that of person admitted for permanent residence [can be affected by immigration consequences of a California criminal conviction].
See Saw-Reyes v. INS, (5th Cir. 1978) 585 F.2d 762.
Encis-Cardozo v. INS (2d Cir. 1974), 504 F.2d 1252.
See INA 101 (a) (3), 8 USC 1101 - Definitions.
See INA 101 (a) (43) - Definitions.
INA 237 -- Deportable crimes [convictions for which a non-citizen may want to seek post-conviction relief]., endnote 1 above.
INA 212 -- Inadmissible crimes [convictions for which a non-citizen may want to seek post-conviction relief], endnote 7 above.
US Const., am. VI [can be a basis for post-conviction relief].
Padilla v. Kentucky, (2010) 559 US 356, 360 [basis for Padilla motion form of post-conviction relief].
Chaidez v. United States, (2013) 133 S.Ct. 1103, 1105.
Based on the facts of Padilla v. Kentucky, endnote 17, above.
Our San Diego criminal defense and immigration attorneys understand the unique issues facing California immigrants charged with crimes. We are experienced with representing aliens both in their initial criminal proceedings and in efforts to obtain post-conviction relief. We represents both US citizen and non-citizen clients at courthouses in criminal proceedings throughout Southern California.
INA 237 (a) (2) (iii) - Deportable crimes [convictions for which a non-citizen may want to seek post-conviction relief].
See also INA 101 (a) (43) - Definitions.
INA 212 (a) (2) (B) - Inadmissible crimes [[convictions for which a non-citizen may want to seek post-conviction relief].
INA 212 (a) (2) (A) (ii) (II) - Inadmissible crimes [convictions for which a non-citizen may want to seek post-conviction relief].
INA 237 - Deportable crimes [convictions for which a non-citizen may want to seek post-conviction relief], endnote 1 above.
Penal Code 17 (b) (3) PC - Classification of Offenses [basis for post-conviction relief].
Penal Code 17 (b) PC - Classification of Offenses [basis for post-conviction relief].
Penal Code 461 PC - Burglary [can be reduced from felony to misdemeanor as form of post-conviction relief]; punishment.
See also Penal Code 460 PC - Burglary; degrees.
Penal Code 245 (a) (1) PC - Assault with a deadly weapon [can be reduced from felony to misdemeanor as form of post-conviction relief].
Penal Code 243.4 PC - Sexual battery [can be reduced from felony to misdemeanor as form of post-conviction relief].
Penal Code 17 (b) (3) PC - Classification of Offenses [basis for post-conviction relief], endnote 26, above.
Penal Code 1018 PC - Motion to withdraw a plea [form of post-conviction relief].
See People v. Sup. Ct. (Giron), (1974) 11 Cal.3d 793, 798.
See Padilla v. Kentucky, endnote 17, above.
See Chaidez v. United States, endnote 19, above.
Penal Code 1016.5 PC - Advisement concerning status as an alien [May be basis for post-conviction relief].
People v. Sup. Ct. (Zamudio), (2000) 23 Cal.4th 999, 204.
Black's Law Dictionary (9th ed. 2009), habeas corpus [form of post-conviction relief].
Penal Code 1473 PC - Persons authorized to prosecute writ [of habeas corpus, form of post-conviction relief for immigrants]; false evidence.
People v. Jackson (1973) 10 Cal.3d 265, 268.
See Padilla v. Kentucky, endnote 17, above; Chaidez v. United States, endnote 19, above.
Penal Code 1473 PC - Persons authorized to prosecute writ; false evidence, endnote 44, above.
Matter of Pickering, (BIA 2003) 23 I & N Dec. 621, 624.
Penal Code 1203.4 - Expungement of criminal record [form of post-conviction relief that may not help avoid immigration consequences].
See Labor Code 432.7 LC.
See Matter of Roldan, (BIA 1999) 22 I & N Dec. 512, 524.

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