Expungement of Criminal Record in Kansas Courts
We Represent All of Johnson County
We have helped many people clean up their past criminal record by filing a petition for expungement and arguing the matter before the judge in court. When we help people expunge their criminal record, we also seek to expunge the arrest as well.
When this is successfully completed, an order for expungement is sent to the databases, erasing the conviction and arrest. You are to be treated as if it never occurred. However, there are some exceptions to this general rule.
Many crimes are expungeable, including both felonies and misdemeanors. Typically expunging a felony is a bigger deal than expunging a misdemeanor. Not all crimes are expungeable.
Timeframe for a Criminal Expungement
Depending on the situation, you can seek to expunge your record from between 2 to seven years after probation or the sentence was completed. Most convictions have a five year wait period to get an expungement. A DUI conviction now has a seven (7) year wait period.
After the petition is filed, it takes roughly 6 weeks for the expungement to be complete. Sometimes it can be shorter, depending on the prosecutor or district attorney working on the matter. We try to file the petition for expungement right away to speed up the process for our clients. Sometimes we are able to push the prosecutor on her end as well.
Sometimes we can obtain the order for expungement without a hearing. However, there are times when a hearing is required and we need to convince the judge of several things, including:
- The circumstances are appropriate for an expungement,
- It is good for the public welfare, and
- The defendant is not presently charged with anything and hasn't had a felony in the past 2 years.
Depending on the situation, we will oftentimes put our client on the stand as well as family members or friends who can testify to the changes the defendant has encountered and why expungement is appropriate for the defendant.
Expunge Your Record
As an experienced Kansas criminal defense attorney, Jerry Wallentine has helped many people get their conviction and arrest record cleared up. Whether your prior conviction is in the Johnson County, KS District court or one of the numerous municipal courts like Olathe, Leawood, Gardner, Overland Park, Lenexa, or Shawnee, call our Olathe criminal lawyer now to speak with a lawyer who is experienced in criminal record expungement law.
- NOTE: Missouri has a new law which may allow you to expunge your Missouri criminal record.