I have a misdemeanor petty theft from five years ago and I know it will impact my ability to obtain employment. What can I do to expunge my criminal record?

We can file a motion on your behalf pursuant to Penal Code Section 1203.4. There is a high chance this motion will be granted if you had no probation violations while you were on probation, and if are not currently on probation for any other criminal offenses. What this motion does is it asks the court to set aside your guilty plea, enter a not guilty plea in its place and then dismiss the case “in the interest of justice”. This motion can help you clean up your record but it does not work for all purposes. For example if you apply for a government job or a state license you have to disclose in an application you suffered this conviction. However, you will be able to say that the conviction was expunged per Penal Code Section 1203.4. In addition, for purposes of private employment you can truthfully answer that you do not have any present convictions if this was your only criminal conviction. However, with all of the advances in internet technology some private employers may be finding a way to discover information about your prior conviction. The best advice is to contact Wallin and Klarich now at 877-466-5245 or go to wklaw.com for more information so we can help you.