List of Crimes You Can Expunge in North Carolina

List of Crimes You Can Expunge in North Carolina

In North Carolina, you can expunge certain crimes from your criminal record. An expungement essentially gives you a fresh start – it basically erases the crime so the general public can't tell it ever happened. Under NC expungement law, you may be eligible for criminal record clearing if you:

• Were arrested but never charged
• Went to court and were found not guilty
• Had your identity stolen and were falsely accused of a crime
• Went to court and had your case dismissed
• Were found guilty of certain misdemeanors
• Were found guilty of certain nonviolent Class H or Class I felonies

Generally, it's a good idea to talk to a North Carolina expungement attorney who understands the law and how it applies in your case – that way, you can be sure whether you qualify for expungement and you have someone with experience by your side every step of the way.

You can only expunge crimes that are considered non-violent – if you have a violent crime you'd like to remove from your record, you'll probably want to talk to an attorney about your options.

List of Crimes You Can Expunge in North Carolina

North Carolina's new expunction law is there for low-level, nonviolent felonies and misdemeanors. That covers a lot of ground, so some examples of crimes that you may be able to expunge include:

Computer trespass

Concealing goods in a store

Credit card fraud

Damage to property

Defrauding drug or alcohol screening tests

Disorderly conduct

Embezzlement

False swearing

Falsifying documents

Forgery

Fraudulent misrepresentation

Gang offenses, but only in limited circumstances

Graffiti vandalism

Interfering with emergency communication

Larceny

Loitering

Looting

Misuse of confidential information

Obtaining property through false pretenses

Permit violations

Possession of alcohol

Possession of drug paraphernalia

Possession of marijuana

Possession of some controlled substances

Possession of stolen goods

Presenting a worthless check

Property crimes

Prostitution, but only in limited circumstances

Purchasing unlawful amounts of alcoholic beverages

Small sales of controlled substances

Swearing falsely to official reports

Theft

Traffic violations

Trespassing

Unauthorized disclosure of information

Unlawful transportation

Unlawfully accessing computers

Use of a laser device toward an aircraft

You can get a more complete list of misdemeanors that could qualify for expungement here.

Remember, though – even if the crime on your record is eligible for expungement, you most likely still have to meet other criteria (such as not having prior expungements or not having other convictions).

List of Crimes You Cannot Expunge in North Carolina

The law says you can't expunge:

• Class A through Class G felonies
• Crimes that involve contaminating food or drinks in a way that makes someone mentally incapacitated or helpless
• Felonies that include assault as an essential element of the offense
• Felonies that require you to register as an offender (such as a sex offender)
• Offenses in which you used a commercial vehicle while committing the crime
• Offenses that involve methamphetamines or heroin
• Offenses that involve the intent to sell or deliver cocaine
• Some sex-related offenses
• Stalking offenses

Even if you think you're not eligible for expungement, it's a good idea to talk to an attorney to get case-specific advice for your own situation. When you talk to a lawyer during a free expungement consultation, you'll be able to find out whether you're eligible for expunction and ask questions so you understand exactly what you're up against.

Do You Need to Talk to a Lawyer About Expungement?

North Carolina expungement can be a little bit complicated – and it can be tough to understand whether you qualify, because each crime has its own requirements. For example, if you want to expunge prostitution charges, the offense either had to arise from you being a victim of human trafficking or sexual servitude or you must have no other convictions for a prostitution offense and it must have been at least 3 years from the date you were convicted or you completed your sentence.

That's just one example. In other cases, you must have no other convictions on your record at all, or you must wait a different period of time before you can petition for an expungement.

If you need to talk to a lawyer about expungement, we're here to help. Call us at 704-470-2440 right now for a free consultation. We'll be happy to answer your questions and help determine whether you're eligible to get the fresh start you deserve.