How do I expunge my record? Ask the Ocean County Expungement Lawyers

Call the Goldman Law Firm for help in expunging your record.

If you are seeking an expungement in Barnegat Township Brick Township, Jackson Township, Lakewood Township, Manchester Township, Ocean Township, Point Pleasant, Toms River Township or another town in Ocean County, New Jersey, contact our skilled expungement lawyers today to discuss your situation, confirm your eligibility, and begin the process of expunging your record. You can reach us at 908-692-7745 or contact us online for a free consultation now.

Expungement Eligibility in New Jersey

By filing a petition in the superior court of the county where your arrest or prosecution took place, providing proper notice, and meeting the required waiting period, you can remove certain crimes, court proceedings, police arrests, warrants, or detentions from your criminal record, ensuring a clear background check. If you qualify for expungement, a judge will review your petition and, if approved, will order that any law enforcement and court activities on your juvenile and adult record be sealed and kept from public access.

It's important to note that not all crimes can be expunged in New Jersey. However, many criminal offenses are eligible for expungement, such as shoplifting, petty theft, burglary, forgery, simple assault and drug possession.

New eligible petitioners now include those who participated in Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI). Previously, if charges were dismissed through PTI, any other charges occurring before or after completing the program could not be expunged. Now, they can be. Additionally, individuals convicted of multiple offenses during a crime spree, such as shoplifting, may have these separate incidents combined and treated as a single offense for expungement, regardless of the short intervals between them. Similarly, all offenses adjudicated and resolved simultaneously may be expunged as one. Finally, individuals whose expungement was contingent upon full restitution payment and the required waiting period can now seek expungement before full payment, provided they continue making restitution payments.

Waiting Periods for Ocean County Expungements

Wait times have also been reduced recently in New Jersey. Juveniles used to have to wait five years after their adjudications to apply for expungement, but now only three years if they have no new charges within that time. For adult crimes, the recent law reduces the prior six-year waiting period to five years before a petitioner may expunge indictable crimes. There is also the possibility of an early pathway expungement for those seeking early expungement due to extraordinary circumstances. Wait times for some expungements, such as dismissed cases, PTI discharges, and conditional discharges, require the shortest waiting period to petition for expungement. Dismissals require no wait time, while PTI and conditional discharges have a six-month waiting period; both are conditioned on a one-time program completion.

Third and fourth degree small drug possession and intent to distribute offenses for 18 to 21 year old’s may be expunged one year after completing terms of sentencing, payment of fines and terms of parole or probation. Additionally, the wait time is two years for municipal ordinance violations, three years for juvenile delinquents charged with the equivalent of adult crimes, five years for not more than five disorderly persons offenses, and five years for single indictable crimes and multiple crimes if disposed of at the same time or part of a spree.

Currently under N.J.S. A. 2C:52-2, only people with one or fewer indictable crimes can expunge their record after five years from the date of conviction or fulfillment of sentencing, fine payments and probation or parole terms, whichever is longer, unless compelling circumstances allow for expungement earlier. However, six or more DP or PDP offenses disqualify eligibility. A disorderly persons offense may be expunged after five years.

Goldman Law Firm Expungement Lawyers can Help

With the shifting landscape of the expungement laws, you should definitely check with a knowledgeable attorney about expunging your specific criminal record. If you want to scrub your criminal record clean to increase future opportunities, we can help verify your eligibility. We can also walk you through the process, avoiding unnecessary delay for missing or incorrectly completed documents. Regardless of where your case arose, our experienced Ocean County expungement lawyers can help you successfully expunge your record in the county and surrounding communities. To discuss your potential expungement, call 908-692-7745 today. Consultations are always available free of charge.