Clearing a crime means removing it from your record, making it inaccessible to potential employers or creditors. The process involves serving your sentence, completing probation, and exhibiting good behavior. Afterward, you may need to submit a written request and attend a hearing. A judge ultimately decides whether to grant the request. It’s best to stay out of trouble and be a model citizen for a significant period to increase your chances of success. The process varies by location and can take months.
Having a crime cleared means having it removed from your criminal record. If you have a cleared crime, potential creditors and employers will no longer be able to learn about your past criminal convictions, unless you provide this information yourself. The process of eliminating a crime can often be lengthy; you typically have to serve your sentence, finish any required probation, and be on your best behavior once you get out of jail. You may then need to complete a written request for elimination, and you may need to attend a hearing to plead your case. The last step is out of your hands, as a judge is usually in charge of deciding whether or not to grant a felony write-off request.
The first step to getting the crime eliminated is usually serving your sentence and probation. For example, you might spend time in jail and then report regularly to a probation officer after your release. If you want your felony conviction to be expunged and avoid going back to prison, you’ll need to be on the right side of the law both while incarcerated and once you’re out of jail. If you are released early, for example due to good behavior, it is usually counted as serving your full sentence.
Once you’ve served your time in prison and completed your probation, you might do well to spend at least a couple of years being a model citizen. Having a significant period of good behavior can help you convince a judge that you are unlikely to commit a crime again. You may have the best chance of getting cleared of a felony if you stay out of all sorts of trouble with the law, barring minor traffic-related infractions.
The process you will need to complete to clear a crime can vary from place to place. It typically involves filling out forms provided by the court system or preparing a written petition for elimination. After submitting these forms and the related fees, you will usually have to wait to hear the court, which in some places could take months. Finally, you may be given a date to appear in court and explain why you think your request should be granted. At the end of the court hearing, or soon after, a judge usually decides whether or not to grant the expungement of the crime.
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