Expunging or sealing your criminal record in Okmulgee, Oklahoma can be almost like waving a magic wand and undoing your criminal mistake.
The right expungement can make it possible to seal every reference to your criminal record, including on websites such as OSCN and ODCR Ok.
What Expungement of Court Records Does
We have all heard that minors may have their court records sealed. This is to allow the minor to move on to a productive life as an adult. The same is true of adults.
Sealing your Okmulgee court records protects them from public view and allows you to move on with your life. It is like getting a fresh start.
Only a Full Expungement Includes OSCN and ODCR Ok Information
A full expungement of your entire criminal record can be difficult to get in Oklahoma, but it is the only kind of expungement that fully seals records, including those that would otherwise be available from online records sites such as On Demand Court Records (ODCR Ok) and Oklahoma State Courts Network (OSCN). Okla. Stat. tit. 22 § 18
An Okmulgee expungement seals the arrest record, court records, and online court records. It also erases your criminal history on background checks. It is as if the incident never happened.
Contrast this with what is known as a deferred sentence expungement. Okla. Stat. tit. 22 § 991c
With a Section 991c expungement, the record shows that you pled “not guilty” and that the case was dismissed. It will not expunge or remove your arrest record, nor will it remove your criminal or court records from online retrieval companies such as OSCN or ODCR Ok.
Eligibility Requirements are Different
You may ask why would anyone bother with a deferred sentence expungement. The answer lies in the eligibility requirements. Only certain types of convictions may be sealed under a court records expungement proceeding in Oklahoma. Also, there may be longer waiting times for that type of expungement.
A deferred sentence expungement in Okmulgee is much easier to qualify for. You must have completed all the terms of your probation, including all community service hours, counseling, drug treatment, and the like. You must also have paid all your fines, court costs, and restitution if it the court ordered it. Finally, you must have served the entire term of your deferred sentence. But basically, that is it. If you qualify, the court changes its records to show that you pled not guilty and that the matter was dismissed.
In contrast, only misdemeanors and non-violent felonies qualify for a court records expungement in Oklahoma. Waiting periods differ depending on the type of conviction you want to seal.
For some misdemeanors in Okmulgee, you may be able to petition the court to seal your records as soon as your fine is paid.
Recent laws have shortened the waiting period for other convictions from 10 years to 5 years.
In some cases, you must obtain a Governor’s pardon before you can file a petition for expungement. Okla. Stat. tit. 22 § 18
Low-cost Consultation: Okmulgee Court Records Expungement
If you or a loved one needs to speak with an Okmulgee criminal defense attorney about expunging court records in Oklahoma, call 918-756-9600 now for a low-cost consultation.
Or, enter your legal question or concern in the form at the top right of this page, and one of our attorneys will promptly return your message.
