What is a deferred sentence expungement?
A deferred sentence expungement in Muskogee can help you move on with your life once you have completed the court’s deferred sentence. It is an erasure of the court’s records. There are different types of expungements in Oklahoma for various types of convictions. Here is what you need to know about a deferred sentence expungement.
What is a deferred sentence?
In a deferred sentence, you and your Muskogee defense attorney work out a deal with the prosecution in your case. As part of that deal, you plead guilty and are placed on probation for a period of time. You may have to comply with other court orders as part of that probation, such as attending counseling or AA meetings. Once you have successfully completed your probation and complied with all of the court’s orders, the case is dismissed, and the matter is expunged. This is called a Section 991c expungement.
991c Expungements
A 991c expungement is a partial expungement. It does not erase all evidence of the criminal charge. It seals the Muskogee court’s records so that the general public will not see any record of a conviction. However, this type of expungement does not erase the arrest record. Therefore, the public can see that you were arrested but not that you were convicted. They will see that the matter was dismissed.
However, your court records will be available to the public until you have complied with the court’s probation orders, and the matter is dismissed and expunged. That means that if your probationary term is two years, the court’s records are available for the entire probationary period until the matter is dismissed and expunged.
The defense attorneys at Wirth Law Office – Muskogee can answer your questions about a 991c expungement.
Filing for a Deferred Sentence Expungement
Sometimes, life doesn’t go as planned. If you make a mistake in your probationary period, and you are not in compliance with the court’s orders, the prosecuting attorney could ask the court to accelerate your sentencing. If the court grants that motion, you will be taken to jail. For minor violations, the court may not accelerate the sentencing but may deny the expungement.
In other cases, you may have fully complied with the court’s orders, but the court may make an administrative error. Mistakes happen. If the court dismisses the matter but fails to expunge it, a petition to rectify the mistake is in order.
In that case, you may want to file a separate petition for a 991c expungement. These petitions are complex, and you will need to have the help of an experienced Muskogee criminal defense attorney to draft, file, and argue the petition on your behalf.
The erasure of the court’s criminal file can open up doors that make your life easier. Getting a job or an apartment is much easier without having a criminal conviction on your record.
Low-cost Consultation with a Muskogee Criminal Lawyer
If you are trying to determine if a deferred sentence expungement is right for you, bring your questions and concerns to an experienced Muskogee criminal defense attorney. We can answer your questions and help you move on with your life. Call a Muskogee criminal defense attorney today at 918-884-7774 with your questions. You may also schedule a low-cost, confidential consultation by clicking “request a consultation.”