Fill Out This Form To Check Your Eligibility in Pennsylvania

Expungement and a pardon are two different ways of clearing your criminal record. Expungement is a process that clears your criminal record so that it is not accessible by the public. A pardon, on the other hand, is an act of forgiveness from the governor. Since a pardon does not actually remove the conviction from your criminal record, you may want to petition for expungement after your pardon is complete.

There are certain types of records that can and cannot be expunged. Here are some examples of criminal records that can be expunged: Convictions for Summary offenses that carry penalties of no more than 90 days in jail Arrest records if there has been no disposition within 18 months Cases resolved through the ARD program, with a few exceptions Convictions for underage purchase, consumption, or possession of alcohol by a person over 18 years old, but younger than 21 years old

Examples of records that cannot be expunged include the following: Most felony convictions Convictions by repeat offenders Misdemeanor convictions if you have failed to complete all sentencing requirements Sex offenses that require you to register as a sex offender Convictions related to cruelty to animals Intimidation or retaliation against a witness Impersonating a public official Offenses that carry a maximum sentence of more than 2 years in prison Repeat offenders of charges that carry a maximum sentence greater than 1 year in jail

Obtain an official copy of your criminal history record. You can obtain it from the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) website. File the appropriate petition with the court where the conviction is located. The petition will vary depending on whether your conviction is for a Summary offense or a more serious offense. Further, you must also forward this petition to an attorney for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Within about 60 days, the Commonwealth must respond to your petition by either agreeing, contesting, or staying silent. Once a response comes in from the Commonwealth (or the time passes with no response), the judge will either approve or deny the petition. In some circumstances, however, the judge will schedule a hearing to learn more before making a final decision. If your expungement is approved, the judge will enter an Order directing that the record be expunged. If your petition is denied, you have 30 days to file an appeal.

Expungement is a way to clear your criminal record by hiding it from public view. If you have been convicted of a crime, expungement can help you erase the conviction from your record. Once expunged, you will no longer have to list the conviction on job applications or housing applications. In addition, your record will typically no longer show up on background checks if requested by potential employers, educational institutions, or others.