Criminal convictions will remain on your permanent record forever. Despite this general rule, certain convictions can be expunged, or removed, from your record after a period of time has passed. An experienced criminal defense attorney can evaluate your case to determine whether you are eligible for expungement. For example, certain convictions for violent crimes can never be expunged from your record, and other convictions require a five-year waiting period before you will become eligible to petition the court for expungement.