1. Representing People with Criminal Records: Expungements
Sharon Dietrich,
Community Legal Services, Inc.
Scott Williams,
North Penn Legal Services
August 12, 2010

2. Expungement Cases are Important for Clients!
Criminal records are insidious barriers to employment.
Removing criminal cases makes a person immediately more employable. It is a capital investment in that person’s life.
Expungement cases are relatively quick and easy, especially for such important results.
Client satisfaction is high.

3. What We Will Cover Today
What are the sources of criminal records, and how do you get one from the AOPC website;
Applicable law for expungement cases;
How to handle an expungement case.

4. Starting at the Beginning: How to Find Out What is on a Criminal Record
For instantaneous results, check AOPC’s website:
Website demonstration.
Arrests without convictions show up.
District Justice actions appear separately.

5. Other Source’s of Your Client’s Criminal Record
Pa. State Police - “PATCH.”
Costs $10; not instantaneous if record.
Does not show arrests.
Mandated in certain fields (esp. health care workers).
FBI records – available only if required by law (child care, school employees, casino workers).

6. Private Companies Also Prepare Criminal Background Checks
Usually based on court records.
Will include more recent arrests (7 year limit).
Often inaccurate.
Usually what employers use.
Governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

7. What Can Be Expunged? Arrests without convictions
Diversionary programs (ARD, probation w/o verdict)
Summary offense convictions where no arrest in 5 year period
Some juvenile cases
Underage drinking (after age 21)
Client is 70 and no arrests in 10 years
Client has been dead for 3 years

8. Convictions Can Almost Never Be Expunged, But Must Be Pardoned
Case goes before Board of Pardons, Governor.
Takes years, not months.
Plea for mercy, not legal case.
Our clients really need advocates to help them prepare good petitions.
Brief discussion of standards.

9. Expungement of Arrests – Legal Standards
Continuum between right to expungement and little hope.
Right: acquittals, pardons.
Little hope: plea deals.
In between: Likely if no convictions; less likely the more that is on the record (esp “mixed record” of convictions and dropped charges).

10. Discretionary Case: Know the “Wexler standards”
Strength of state’s case;
Reasons state wants to retain record;
Petitioner’s age, employment and criminal record;
Time between arrest and petition;
Specific adverse consequences to petitioner.
State has burden of proof.

11. Right to Juvenile Expungement
Charges dismissed – will be expunged.
Consent decree – 6 months since discharge from supervision – will be expunged.
Over age 18 – DA consents – court will order expungement.
5 years have passed and no conviction or adjudication – expungement granted in 30 days unless good cause shown.
Juvenile Law Center manual:

12. Standards for Expungement of Summaries
2007 amendment to Section 9122(b):
(3)(i) An individual who is the subject of the information petitions the court for the expungement of a summary offense and has been free of arrest or prosecution for five years following the conviction for that offense.
Examples of summaries: retail theft, disorderly conduct, harassment (see handout listing known summaries)
What does the statute mean? Wubbe decision – 5 years before the filing of the petition, not subsequent to the conviction.

13. Expungement practice: The Life of a Case
County idiosyncrasies
Steps on getting expungement order (from filing to court order)
Getting the expungement order implemented
Counseling clients on responding to employment application