If you have been convicted of a crime in Cranford, you certainly do not want the consequences to linger any longer than the completion of whatever fines or sentence you are forced to face. Yet having the information regarding your criminal activity on your public record can hinder your chances to completely move on with your life once you have satisfied the demands that came with your conviction. Therefore, seeking to have your criminal record expunged is definitely something you will want to look into.
Yet is such a benefit possible? According to Section 52-2 of the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice, you can seek an expungement if your case qualifies. To be eligible, you must not have been convicted of any other criminal offense either within the state or in another jurisdiction. The only exception to this would be a disorderly persons offense. You can apply for expungement provided you have no more than two such offenses on your record since the completion of the sentence tied to your conviction.
There is a mandatory waiting period of 10 years that must be completed prior to seeking an expungement. The law does allow, however, for certain exceptions to this rule. These include cases where less than 10 years have passed since your payment of a fine, yet you have satisfied all of the other financial criteria to qualify for expungement. You can also seek to have your record expunged after five years of your release from incarceration or the completion of your probation or parole provided that within that time, you have not been convicted of any other offense (including a disorderly persons offense).
Certain criminal convictions cannot be expunged. These typically include violent crimes against persons or property such as murder, kidnapping, rape or robbery.
