Expunging criminal record information can be like removing ants from under your refrigerator. Just when you think you’ve eliminated all the ants/information, there’s another trail. That’s how a talented attorney in this field described the process in her article of the same name here. It’s also an apt description for figuring out the legal requirements, procedures, and forms for obtaining an expunction, in North Carolina and elsewhere. Here’s my latest effort, the 2017 Guide to Relief from a Criminal Conviction in North Carolina.
The guide incorporates the changes made by the North Carolina General Assembly during its 2017 legislative session, including expanded opportunities for expunging dismissals and older nonviolent felonies and misdemeanors. The guide also describes other mechanisms for obtaining relief from a criminal conviction, such as certificates of relief. Note: The guide provides links to North Carolina statutes on the General Assembly’s website, which does not yet incorporate all of the 2017 statutory changes, but a link is provided in pertinent places in the guide to the main 2017 legislation that amended the expunction statutes.
I hope the guide is helpful. Please let me know if I missed any ants.