Will my public defender help me seal my criminal record?
Will my public defender help me seal my criminal record?
Free Legal Information
A Note From the Editor
Related Ads
Talk to a Criminal Defense Lawyer
Enter Your Zip Code to Connect with a Lawyer Serving Your Area
Enter Your Zip Code to Connect with a Lawyer Serving Your Area
This site does not provide legal advice and users of this site should not interpret any of the information presented here as legal advice. The information provided merely conveys general information related to commonly asked legal questions. We are not a law firm and the employees responding to questions are not acting as your legal attorney. You should ultimately consult with a Lawyer for your case.
Talk to a Defense Lawyer
Charged with a crime? Start here to find a lawyer.
HOW IT WORKS
Briefly tell us about your case
Provide your contact information
Choose attorneys to contact you
It's very unlikely that a public defender office will have the resources to help indigent clients seal their records, even when that office represented the client for the underlying case. A combination of shrinking budgets and increasing online help have made this level of service obsolete.
When you read about the rules for sealing records in your state (see Expunging or Sealing a Criminal Record), you may see a link to a website maintained by your state's courts. Many states have very helpful information about how to file for expungement, and provide forms.
People who are eligible to have their juvenile records sealed may fare a bit better. In a few states, including California, probation departments will handle the paperwork (Cal.Rules of Court, Rule 5.830). Check with the probation department in your county for more information.