If you have a criminal record in California, you may be able to clear your record.  The process of clearing your record is known as an expungement of your criminal record.  Many types of convictions may be expunged.  The law that covers whether your record may be expunged in California is sections 1203.4 and 1203.4a in the California Penal Code.

The process is pretty straightforward but it is getting more restrictive.  For example, if you were convicted of a DUI in California, even if it was only a misdemeanor, it is now more difficult to clear that conviction because of a change in the law.

Many people believe that only misdemeanors may be expunged but that is not true.  Felonies may also be expunged under the law.  However, it is often preferable to have your felony conviction reduced to a misdemeanor before getting it expunged.  Not all felonies can be reduced (or expunged) so you will want to do some research or speak with a California expungement attorney for more information.  I’d like to make the same point about the “Sacramento expungement Lawyer” here that I did about the “Oakland traffic ticket lawyer” or “Sacramento traffic ticket lawyer” and that is the law is the same but there may be some differences among the counties on how it is processed.

Even the the law is pretty straightforward, you may still want to speak to an expungement attorney who is familiar with the courts in your county.