In the past, we have covered stories of people who have been accused of crimes. Some of those people have been convicted. For people who have faced criminal charges and those who are convicted of criminal charges, the effects of those incidents can potentially follow them long after they have been found innocent or completed their court-ordered sentences. We don't think that is fair at all, especially when a person has paid his or her dues and is trying to live a life on the up and up.
For some people, there is a possibility of having criminal records expunged. Having this done successfully isn't always easy because there are a lot of criteria that must be met to qualify for a record to be expunged. We can help you find out your chances of having criminal cases involving plea bargains, convictions, dismissed charges, arrests that didn't result in charges and other circumstances in Maryland expunged.
Some criminal cases might have a waiting period before they can be expunged. An example of this is a stet docket case, like some DUI cases in which conditions were met and the case was dismissed as a result. Most stet docket cases have a 3-year waiting period before you can have it expunged.
Knowing your rights regarding having records expunged is something that might be able to help you greatly. When you think about how easy it is for current and potential employers and others to pull your criminal record, it is easy to understand why having a record expunged might be helpful. While expungement doesn't totally destroy your criminal record, it can help you in the case of employers who are doing background checks.