State College Expungement Attorney

What Is an Expungement?

In Pennsylvania, the term “expunge” means “to remove information so that there is no trace or indication that such information existed.”  Basically, an expungement is the destruction of government records.  There is a difference between expunged and sealed records in Pennsylvania.

Limitations on Expungements

It must be emphasized that an expungement has limitations. If a private person or a private company has a record of the incident, such private entities cannot be forced by a court to expunge records. For example, newspaper articles or online reports of incidents do not fall under the expungement laws.  There are also private companies that are purchasing government records and maintaining such records in a private database.  Many employers hire background search companies that purchase records from the private database, so there are situations in which an expunged record may still appear on a background search report.  Experienced expungement attorneys like those at JD Law are aware of such private databases, and many will expunge their records IF they are served with a copy of the expungment order that is signed by the judge.

The expungement process is varies from one county to another, and many counties have unique requirements and quirks like special forms or proedures that must be followed.  Because almost every county handles expungement petitions differently, it is important to consult with and ultimately hire an attorney who has experience with filing expungements in the particular county in which your charges were filed.  JD Law has experience in filing expungements in Centre, Mifflin, Clinton, and Huntingdon countes.  If you need an expungement in those counties, contact our office to discuss the matter.  If you need an expungement attorney in another county, contact us for a possible referral.  Call JD Law at (814) 689-9139 or email us for a free initial consultation.