Portland Expungement Attorneys Serving Throughout Oregon
Wipe the Slate Clean Through Expungement
Expungement is a legal process to remove certain types of criminal convictions from your record. If your criminal background check reveals a misdemeanor or felony, you may run into obstacles every time you round a corner. A clear record is important to:
- Individuals wanting to rent an apartment
- Persons seeking employment with a new company
- Current employees who are seeking a better job or promotion
- Business owners seeking an SBA loan
- Professionals such as barbers, teachers or drivers who wish to gain, retain or renew a professional license
- Individuals seeking a security clearance
- Government employees or people wishing to run for elective office
There are many reasons why a person would want to have a clean criminal record. Portland, Oregon Expungement lawyer Mark C. Cogan has more than 40 years of experience in criminal defense. He has received an AV Peer Review Rating* through Martindale-Hubbell and has been listed as an Oregon Super Lawyer from 2007 through the present date.
A wide range of offenses can be expunged under Oregon law: misdemeanors such as assault, theft, indecent exposure, shoplifting, marijuana possession, reckless endangerment and criminal trespass; and felonies such as assault, forgery, delivery of marijuana and failure to appear.
Expungement Experience in Oregon’s 36 Counties
Each county has its own way of dealing with the expungement process and it is not rare that a simple court staff error may cause enormous harm to an individual seeking to move on with his life. Our Portland law firm knows what to do, because we do it all the time. Our Portland, Oregon Expungement lawyer work very hard to:
- Make certain that a client qualifies for expungement through information gathering and analysis of the situation.
- Make certain that we respond to any objections presented by the District Attorney’s office or court staff.
- Make certain to provide error-free documents.
- Provide frequent client communication and status reports regarding any case developments.
Expungement Restrictions
Certain offenses are not eligible for expungement, such as Measure 11 crimes. Other restrictions:
- There must not be any other criminal conviction on your record for the 7 years preceding expungement for a class B felony; 5 years preceding expungement for a class C felony; 3 years preceding expungement for a class A misdemeanor; and 1 year preceding expungement for class B or C misdemeanors, violations, and contempt charges.
- Timelines are from the date of conviction or release from imprisonment, whichever is later.
- You must wait 60 days before expunging a “no complaint.”
- You must not be facing current criminal charges.
- You must have fulfilled the requirements of your sentence as ordered by the court.
- There is no waiting period required to expunge an arrest if your charge was dismissed or resulted in an acquittal (as long as the other requirements are satisfied).
Expungement of Sex Crimes:
Expungement of certain sex crimes is possible under certain limited circumstances. If you have a conviction for a sex crime, and you otherwise meet the requirements for expungement, expungement is possible under the following circumstances:
For Adults:
- You have been relieved from sex offender registration.
- You must be within 5 years of age of the victim in the case.
- The victim must be at least 14 years of age.
- The sexual contact was consensual but for age.
- The conviction is for:
- Rape in the Third Degree
- Sodomy in the Third Degree
- Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree
- Contributing to the Sexual Delinquency of a Minor
- Sexual Misconduct with a Minor
- Any Attempt of the Above
For Juveniles:
- Sex crime is a Class C felony.
- You must have been under 16 years of age at the time of the crime.
- The victim must have been at least 12 years of age at the time of the crime.
- You must not be more than two and a half years older than the victim.
- The sexual contact was consensual but for age.
The standard fee** for Expungement Service covers all the firm’s work and expenses to clear your record of a criminal conviction and/or arrest:
- Prequalification and legal consultation
- Retrieval of necessary case records
- Drafting of motion and supportive documents
- Filing of all documents with the court
- Service upon the District Attorney
- Monitoring progress with the court and District Attorney
- Status updates through to completion of work
- Representation in court at a hearing where applicable
Personal checks, credit or debit cards, money orders, and cash are accepted.
For multiple expungements or past clients of our office, a discount is available.
Your Future Hangs in the Balance — Let’s Get to Work
If you have a conviction that you would like to remove from your record, please call our Portland law office at (503) 549-1077 or send us an e-mail for a free initial consultation with our Portland, Oregon Expungement lawyer.
*CV, BV, and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards, and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories: legal ability and general ethical standards.
**Non-standard fees will apply on a case-by-case basis to (1) clients whose cases are pre-1989 or otherwise require document retrieval from court archives (2) clients whose probation was revoked or whose case involved repeated violations of probation (3) any other complex issue which might be discussed prior to representation.
Disclaimer:
Under Oregon Senate Bill 397, which took effect on January 1, 2022, Oregon’s expungement law is now simpler and more streamlined than it was before. The courts are coming up with a uniform document for expungements, and will soon be available statewide. Therefore, many people may be able to complete an expungement without assistance by an attorney, unless there are complications.
Related Links:
More Crimes Qualify for Expungement
Marijuana Convictions Eligible for Expungement (Record Clearance)
Expunged Record, Outdated Report
Marijuana Convictions Eligible for Expungement (Record Clearance)
Oregon Criminal Defense
