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Newport RI Expungement Attorney
Expungement is a legal process through which an arrest or conviction may be erased from a person’s criminal record. Below you will find links to in-depth information on expungement, and state-specific resources on expungement and criminal records.
Rhode Island law sets out a procedure for a first offender to file a motion to expunge a record of conviction for a felony or a misdemeanor. Upon request, the Department of Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Identification Unit (BCI) provides the offender a copy of the conviction record at a cost. The Judicial Records Center maintains the criminal complaint which is available for copying. The foregoing information is needed to complete a motion to expunge.
By law, the motion is filed in the court in which the conviction took place. A ten-day period is necessary for the offender to give the Attorney General’s Office and the arresting police department notice that the motion to expunge is being filed. The court clerk’s office will assign a date at least ten days from the filing date.
If the motion is granted, certified copies of the court order should be provided to the arresting police department, the Department of Attorney General, and to the probation department (if applicable), in order to give notification that the record has been ordered expunged. Each agency should destroy its record.
Because the summary set forth above is for informational purposes only, it is recommended that you contact an attorney to discuss the procedures for filing such a motion. This summary information does not guarantee that the record will be expunged after a motion has been filed.
Contact the Rhode Island Expungement Lawyer S. Joshua Macktaz, Esq. for a free consultation.
EXPUNGEMENT FAQ’s
What is an “expungement”?
“Expungement” is a legal procedure. It allows eligible and deserving individuals to have any and all records relating to their criminal charges removed, both from public records and those of law enforcement agencies.
What types of criminal charges are eligible for “expungement”?
The law provides that any criminal charge, with the exception of a “crime of violence”, is eligible for expungement.
The law defines a “crime of violence” as follows: murder, manslaughter, first degree arson, kidnapping with intent to extort, robbery, larceny from the person, first-degree sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, first and second degree child molestation, assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to rob, assault with intent to commit first-degree sexual assault, burglary, and entering a dwelling house with intent to commit murder, robbery, sexual assault, or larceny.
Anyone convicted of a “crime of violence” is ineligible for “expungement”.
Who is eligible to have their criminal record “expunged”?
Anyone who is a “first offender” is eligible to have their criminal record expunged.
The law defines a “first offender” as follows: a person who has not been previously convicted of or placed on probation for a felony or a misdemeanor and against whom there is no criminal proceeding pending in any court.
Anyone convicted or placed on probation on more than one occasion is ineligible for expungement.
How long do I have to wait to have my criminal record “expunged”?
For misdemeanors – (5) years after the successful completion (no intervening convictions, probation, or pending cases) of your sentence and/or probation.
For felonies – (10) years after the successful completion (no intervening convictions, probation, or pending cases) of your sentence and/or probation
Who determines if I am eligible and deserving to have my criminal record “expunged”?
Whether you are eligible and deserving of an expungement must be determined by a judge of the court that originally heard the case.
As mentioned previously in order to be eligible to have your criminal record expunged you must be a “first offender” and not have been convicted of a “crime of violence”.
The law also requires that in order to have your criminal record expunged you must be deserving of it. That is, you must be able to demonstrate to the court’s satisfaction that you are of good moral character; have been rehabilitated and; the expungement of your criminal record is consistent with the public interest, proof of which can include but is not limited to the following:
- Regular employment and financial and other support of family
- Successful completion of substance abuse and/or mental health counseling
- Community or other public service
- Professional certification or licensing in field of employment
- Otherwise eligible for induction into the armed forces of the United States
How do I go about having my criminal record “expunged”?
By filing a motion to expunge with the court. Some but not all courts have blank motions to expunge that you can fill out and file with the court yourself. The court’s Clerk’s Office may be available to assist you with completing the necessary paperwork including scheduling the motion for a hearing and giving you the date that it will be heard by the court.
After filing the motion to expunge you are required to give notice of the date that it will be heard by the court to the Department of Attorney General and the police department that originally brought the charge.
On the day that your motion to expunge is heard by the court you should be prepared to provide the following information about yourself to the judge hearing the motion:
- Have not been convicted or received probation for a “crime of violence”
- Are a “first offender”
- Possess good moral character
- Have been successfully rehabilitated and
- The expungement of your criminal record is consistent with the public interest
If your motion to expunge is granted, the court will provide you with copies of an order requiring that any and all records relating to the expunged case be deleted from the public record. A copy of this expungement order should be mailed to the Department of Attorney General and any other law enforcement agency known to have copies of these records.
Although in some but not all expungements the assistance of a lawyer may not be necessary, you are entitled to be represented by counsel. If you cannot afford private counsel the Office of the Public Defender may be able to assist you.
What are the practical effects of having my criminal record “expunged”?
With certain very limited exceptions, any person having his or her record expunged shall be released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the crime of which he or she had been convicted again, with certain very limited exceptions, in any application for employment, license, or other civil right or privilege, or any appearance as a witness, a person whose conviction of a crime has been expunged pursuant to this chapter may state that he or she has never been convicted of the crime.
When applying for employment opportunities, are there any circumstances in which I would be legally required to disclose information regarding my expunged criminal record?
According to RIGL § 12-1 3-4 (b), any person who is “an applicant for a law enforcement agency position, for admission to the bar of any court, an applicant for a teaching certificate, under chapter 11 of title 12, a coaching certificate under § 16-11. 1-1, or the operator or employee of an early childhood educational facility pursuant to chapter 48 1 of title 16,” is required to disclose the fact of a conviction.
Contact Newport Rhode Island Expungement Attorney S. Joshua Macktaz, Esq. for a free consultation.
DISCLAIMER: This site and any information contained herein are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Seek competent legal counsel for advice on any legal matter. Also, the Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers in the general practice of law, but does not license or certify any lawyer as an expert or specialist in any field of practice.
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