Category Archives: expungement
New Jersey’s New Conditional Dismissal Program
On January 4, 2014, a New Jersey law that establishes a conditional dismissal program in the Municipal Courts for first-time offenders charged with certain disorderly persons offenses goes into effect. A defendant who successfully completes this program will be eligible to expunge his or her record six months after the case is dismissed. The conditional dismissal program will supplement New Jersey’s existing diversion programs, which include pre-trial intervention (PTI) for certain indictable offenses in the Superior Court and conditional discharge for certain disorderly persons drug offenses in the municipal court. Continue reading
Michigan Bill May Expand Expungement Opportunities
Michigan state lawmakers have recently proposed House Bill 4186, which is aimed at expunging criminal records of nonviolent criminals who have paid their debts to society and become rehabilitated. The current law in Michigan allows for the expungement of a single conviction. The proposed Bill would allow the expungement of up to two misdemeanors, or one misdemeanor and one felony after a five-year waiting period has passed from the completion of probation or parole. The Bill will not protect or help those with sexual offenses, or felonies that can be punishable by life imprisonment. It would have little to no fiscal impact on the Judiciary. Continue reading
RecordGone.com Founder Testifies In Support of California Expungement Bill
Mathew Higbee, founder of the Law Firm of Higbee & Associates and RecordGone.com, testified in favor of changes to California’s expungement law in front of the California State Assembly Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, June 25th. Higbee was speaking in support of Senate Bill 530 (SB 530), authored by Senator Roderick Wright. Continue reading
Minnesota Supreme Court Curtails State Courts’ Expungement Power
A May 22, 2013 ruling by the Minnesota Supreme Court is not welcome news for those who want to have their criminal records expunged. The ruling reverses a recent appellate court decision that allowed the courts to order the expungement of records contained in the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) database, which is frequently searched by employers and the public. Despite the ruling, Attorney Mathew Higbee says there are still plenty of good reasons for people to have their records expunged by the courts. Continue reading
House Bill 4186 Could Lessen The Effect of the Invisible Sentence in Michigan
In Michigan, former offenders that have served their time, completed their sentence, and paid their debt to society may still be serving what is known as the “invisible sentence,” which has the potential to last a lifetime. New proposed legislature, House Bill 4186, would make more people serving the “invisible sentence” eligible for expungements. Continue reading
