Tangi Carter To begin with, what is the purpose of expungement? An expungement is a mechanism by which an individual can petition the court to have a criminal record removed. If the client qualifies for expungement, he would then legally be able to state on job applications or school applications, that he has never been convicted of a crime. Further, he can state that he has never been arrested for a crime. Most people do not understand that even if a jury acquits them or the charge is dismissed, there is still a record of the arrest even though the case was dismissed. In order to have the arrest removed, one must go through the extra step to have the entire case expunged. The records are removed from any local, state or federal authorities with a record of the charge. My Legal Life Aiding Clients Through DUI Expungement For many, the expungement of past criminal records can mark a significant turning point in their life. However, successfully securing an expungement requires the input of a competent and skilled lawyer. Tangi Carter, a Mississippi attorney highly experienced in expunging cases, shares more on the process behind expungement and the positive impact it has had on the lives of many of her clients. MY LEGAL LIFE 23 What is the process involved in expungement in your jurisdiction? The process varies depending on the type of charge and the type of sentence the court imposed. Some cases, like many violent felonies, are not expungeable. For the most part, you must successfully complete whatever sentence the court imposes. Next, you would need to hire an attorney in most cases because the process is often complicated. You would file a civil petition to expunge in the court in which you were charged with a crime. The judge and the prosecutor must approve and sign the expungement order. Once the order is signed, the clerk’s office forwards the court order to the Mississippi Criminal Information Center where that office removes the charge from the county, state and federal systems.
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