Am I Eligible for an Expungement in Pennsylvania

Over the years, I constantly fielding phone calls for people seeking to have their record expunged because their criminal history is affecting their employment, family life or even just peace of mind.  A majority of these individuals aren’t eligible to obtain an expungement because unlike many states, including New Jersey,

individuals convicted of a misdemeanor (maybe eligible for restricted access) and felonies are eligible for an Expungement unless they are over the age of 70.

So here are a few examples of who would be eligible for an expungement in Pennsylvania:

a. Someone found not guilty of a summary, misdemeanor felony offense;

b. Someone who has completed a diversionary program such as ARD, section 17 etc;

c. Someone over the age of 70 who has been arrest free for 10 years;

d. Someone convicted of a summary offense who has been arrest free for 5 years;

e. A person over the age of 21 who has been convicted of underage drinking after completing all conditions of their sentence;

f. Someone who’s case was dismissed, withdrawn or noble prossed.

If you do not fall into one of these categories Pennsylvania does afford you other options such as a petition for limited access or pardon.  I will cover both of these issues in a future entry.

So if you or a loved one is in need of an expungement or just has a question regarding an expungement feel free to contact my office.