Santa Barbara Expungement Lawyer

Expunging Criminal Records

Criminal records can affect your ability to obtain credit, employment or a professional license. Law enforcement agencies, court and County Clerks' offices, prosecutorial agencies and the FBI all maintain criminal histories. Many of these records are now made available to the general public through the Internet, which means stores, potential employers and landlords can easily access your criminal history data.

I can help you expunge your criminal records. My name is Adam L. Pearlman, and I am a Santa Barbara criminal defense lawyer with years of expungement experience. Once your criminal record is expunged, you will be legally allowed to say that the conviction or arrest never occurred on job applications, rental applications and other documents.

After it is determined that you qualify for an expungement, my office prepares a petition or motion that must be signed by the client. This motion is filed with the Court and a copy is sent to the appropriate prosecutor's office. A hearing date is scheduled in Superior Court, at which time the judge will consider the specific facts and circumstances of your case. The judge will also hear from the prosecution before deciding whether or not to grant the expungement motion. The process usually takes 2 to 4 months to complete locally. It takes an additional 2-4 months to have your record expunged with the Department of Justice (DOJ).