Expunctions are a legal mechanism to remove from the criminal history or other public record matters that a person was accused of in the past. They are an extremely important tool in assisting a person with removing the “scarlet letter” that can be attached to a person based upon an accusation. An accusation can brand a person for their life and impact them in ways that sometimes they do not know has occurred.
Expunctions are available to persons that have had their cases dismissed, deferred or, sometimes, suffer a conviction. There are various qualifying circumstances that would make a person eligible for an expunction and limitations to the number and type that a person can receive in the State of North Carolina.
A person that desires to receive an expunction should consult with an attorney to assess their eligibility and determine the best course to attempt to maximize the expunction statutes available to the person’s given situation.