Criminal charges and convictions can have devastating consequences on a person's life. For individuals that have criminal charges or convictions on their records, it may be beneficial to learn more about expungement so that they will understand whether this is an option for their situation.

Myth: News Articles About Expunged Cases Will Have To Be Removed

Many people that are charged with crimes will find that there are ample news articles produced about their trial and the crime. Unfortunately, there are some individuals that will assume an official expungement will force any publishers to retract these articles. Yet, this is not the case. Rather, these articles will be able to remain as long as they are accurate.

Myth: Expungements Are Automatically Granted

Unfortunately, there is an assumption among some individuals that an expungement will automatically be issued for their case after a certain amount of time has passed. Sadly, this is not usually the case as the record will remain unless the individual petitions the court to have it expunged. Some jurisdictions will automatically expunge the records of child offenders, but there are strict requirements to qualify for this and it is not universally offered. The process of completing this type of petition can be rather lengthy and complicated, which makes it wise for individuals to retain the services of an attorney that has experience with successfully expunging criminal records.

Myth: An Expungement Is Only Applicable For Those With Convictions

It is often assumed that only a person that is convicted of a crime will need to have their record expunged. However, the process of being tried for a crime will also create a record for the defendant regardless of whether they are convicted or acquitted. As a result, it may be beneficial for individuals that are acquitted to look into expunging their record. This will make it much more difficult for a person to learn about the charges and trial as the records for it will be sealed.

Obtaining an expungement can be essential for ensuring that previous convictions and criminals charges are not having prolonged effects on your life. However, the process of being expunged is not well understood, and this may cause individuals to fail to successfully take advantage of this option. After understanding that an expungement will not completely rid the internet of articles about the trial or crime, the fact that a petition must be filed for the expungement and that an expungement can be beneficial even if a conviction was not obtained, you should be better positioned to weigh the benefits of going through the process of applying for an expungement.

For more information, contact local professionals like those found at Goodman Katz Koonce & Maroc.