EXPUNGEMENT & EXPUNCTION

To get an expungement, you must petition a judge. NicholsonPham attorneys can petition the judge for you and make sure that all the paperwork is completed correctly.  We handle expungements in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

Our fees for expungements are reasonable and we offer payment plans.  In addition to attorney fees, the Clerk of Court will sometimes charge a civil fee.

It can take up to twelve months for an expungement to go through in North Carolina, although most of the time, it’s much quicker.

To understand expungements, it’s helpful to understand the difference between a charge and a conviction.

A criminal charge is a formal accusation of wrongdoing against you by the State of North Carolina.  If you were arrested for a crime, you were charged. Not all charges result in jail, though. Sometimes, you can be charged without going to jail.  You were charged if you were ordered to go to court to answer for a crime.

A charge is just an accusation and in North Carolina, you are innocent until proven guilty.

A conviction is when a judge or jury says “guilty” and orders a sentence.  If you pled guilty in court and the judge told you to pay a fine and costs of court, then you were convicted of that charge.