Get a Clean Slate – Expunge your Michigan criminal record
A criminal record shouldn’t haunt you forever. Our law firm can help.
Is your criminal record holding you back? Are you having difficulty finding employment or proper housing because, as soon as someone does a background check, they see your record and stop everything?
Criminal records can unfairly punish people who have already repaid their debt to society. But you can do something about it by contacting Manley & Manley. Our law firm helps people clean up their records so that their criminal pasts don’t haunt them forever. Through the legal process for expungement, many past convictions can be set aside. This means certain convictions will no longer pop up in ICHAT and other background checks. Many opportunities that were previously closed off could be opened to you.
If you have a criminal record, you may be able to file for expungement right now. That’s because thousands, maybe even millions of people became newly eligible for expungement when Michigan’s Clean Slate Act went into effect in 2021. Contact us to find out if the convictions on your record can be wiped clean.
In the meantime, here is some general information about expungement in Michigan.
What is expungement?
An expungement is the setting aside of qualifying past state criminal offenses so that the public cannot see them on your permanent record. This means that potential employers, landlords, and others will not see it come up on background checks. Often, you can expunge a felony. Your full record will still be made available to law enforcement agencies.
Do I need to hire an expungement lawyer?
You can apply for expungement on your own, but it is not recommended. There is too much on the line to try and figure out the technical process as you go along. The expungement process is unforgiving of errors. Miss a question on a form or send requested documents to the wrong person, and you could ruin your chances for a clean record. Your best chance for expungement is to have a lawyer represent your case.
Our Michigan expungement lawyers understand the expungement process because we have been successfully cleaning up criminal records in Michigan since the 1980s. We know what it takes to win - and we have the track record to prove it.
Do I qualify for expungement in Michigan?
Determining eligibility can be difficult if you don’t know the intricacies of Michigan’s criminal justice system. In general, Michigan non-violent misdemeanors and felonies may be wiped off your record.
Offenses that cannot be expunged include murder, criminal sexual conduct in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree, or a second or subsequent DUI conviction
How many convictions can I have expunged from my record?
An unlimited number of misdemeanors can be wiped clean from your record and up to 3 felonies – with exceptions.
What is Michigan’s ‘Clean Slate’ law?
The Clean Slate Act has been in effect since 2021. The legislation significantly expanded the types and number of state offenses eligible for expungement. Michigan is working on a system that will automatically expunge certain convictions from your record after a waiting period. But this system isn’t set to get going until at least two years after Clean Slate started. Also, it’s not yet entirely clear which convictions will be automatically expunged. If you want a clean record, contact us for a free case consultation to discuss your options.
How long does it take to expunge a record?
In general, there is a waiting period before you can apply for expungement. The wait typically starts on the date you complete your sentence. You must wait:
- 7 years for multiple felonies.
- 5 years for a serious misdemeanor, typically those causing injury, or a single felony.
- 3 years for a misdemeanor.
In some marijuana cases, if you were convicted for actions that are now legal, you do not have to wait to apply.
It is worth noting that, during your wait period, if you are convicted of the same crime for which you are seeking expungement, you will be disqualified for expungement of the prior conviction.
Once your wait time is up, the application process can take months to complete.
How do you get your record expunged?
Successfully applying for expungement is a lot of work. The application process, at a minimum, requires 12 steps. If there are any complications with your case, the workload increases significantly. Our law firm can handle the complex process for you.
We can determine eligibility, track down official copies of various records, correctly identify and apply to the four state agencies involved in your case, respond to processing requests, schedule a hearing, build a strong case for expungement, and present supporting evidence at the hearing.
Michigan expungement lawyers with winning experience
A major piece of criminal justice reform now allows many more people in Michigan to expunge their records than ever before. Manley & Manley has extensive experience getting convictions expunged or set aside. Every case is different. Contact us for a free case consultation to learn whether you are a candidate for expungement and how we can help.
