Expungement Petition And Effect Of Other Crimes

In the Matter of DiGregorio involved a petitioner who sought the expungement from his record of the disorderly persons offense of lewdness and his petition was denied. On appeal, the NJ Appellate Division applied the statute relating to expungement of disorderly and petty disorderly offenses, N.J.S.A. 2C:52-3 to the facts in the instant matter. N.J.S.A. 2C:52-3 reads as follows: Any person convicted of a disorderly persons offense or petty disorderly persons offense under the laws of this State who has not been convicted of any prior or subsequent crime, whether within this State or any other jurisdiction, or of another three disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offenses, may, after the expiration of a period of 5 years from the date of his conviction, payment of fine, satisfactory completion of probation or release from incarceration, whichever is later, present a duly verified petition… praying that such conviction and all records and information pertaining thereto be expunged. The petitioner properly waited the requisite 5 year period following conviction, payment of his fines and completion of probation in order to seek expungement of the disorderly persons offense. However, the petitioner was disqualified from meeting the expungement criteria as a result of having had two subsequent criminal convictions, one in 2008 and another in 2013. The N.J. Appellate Division affirmed the trial court's denial of the petition. A criminal record can affect your ability to obtain certain jobs, get into certain schools of your choice, obtain housing and have other serious consequences including a negative social stigma. Expungement offers a second chance at a clean record. New Jersey legislators have recently taken steps to make expungement more available in an effort to prevent recidivist criminal activity. Although expungement is available, it should not be taken as a given. If you or your child are seeking an expungement, you should consult experienced criminal defense counsel in order to ensure you qualify and that the crime on your record is expungeable. For more information about expungement, disorderly persons offenses or other criminal matters, visit DarlingFirm.com. This blog is for informational purposes only and not intended to replace the advice of an attorney.