Articles Posted in Expungements

Criminal records are official documents about your history with the criminal justice system in Michigan. These records include arrests, charges, case outcomes, and convictions. This information comes from police departments, courts, and correctional facilities. Most of these records are public in the United States and in Michigan. You can access them in several ways. Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act makes a lot of records available to the public, but there are exceptions. For example, nonpublic expungement records kept by the Michigan State Police are exempt from FOIA. Potential employers and landlords can look up your history. They use large background...

If you have been convicted of a felony in Oakland County, you will lose your right to possess a firearm at both the state and federal levels. Under Michigan Penal Code Act 328, Section 750.224f, you will not be allowed to “possess, use, transport, sell, purchase, carry, ship, receive, or distribute a firearm in this state” until certain conditions are met.  Getting the help of a skilled expungement attorney to represent you and protect your rights is important. If you’re in Oakland County and need a lawyer for expungement, Paul J. Tafelski, a top-rated Oakland County expungement attorney, may be...

Having a criminal record can have far-reaching effects on an individual’s life. Not only can it impact employment and housing, but it can also have an impact on child custody and other family legal matters.  An experienced Michigan expungement lawyer can assist in having certain criminal convictions on your records shielded from public view. Contact Michigan Defense Law at (248) 451-2200 today to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how we can help. What is the New Expungement Law in Michigan? While our justice system is based on paying a debt to society, rehabilitating, and then moving on,...

A criminal conviction—even for a minor offense—can have a dramatic impact on your life. Not only that, but by default, a conviction will stay on your record forever, unless you seek an expungement. Expungement is the legal process by which a court sets aside a conviction, making it outside the reach of the public record. While Michigan has had an expungement law on the books for quite some time, the law recently changed as of April 2021.  Before you make any decisions, it is important to speak with a Michigan expungement lawyer.  Call us today. How Does Michigan’s New Expungement...

Marijuana is now legal for Michigan residents, regardless of whether they have a qualifying health condition. While the state initially legalized medicinal marijuana back in 2008, it wasn’t until 2018 when recreational marijuana became legal in Michigan. However, despite the legalization of marijuana, thousands of people still have convictions on their records for marijuana-related offenses. As we noted in a previous blog post, Michigan lawmakers recently passed the Clean Slate law, revamping the state’s outdated expungement laws. While the Clean Slate legislation impacts those with many types of criminal convictions, one of the most notable aspects of the law is...

In 2020, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed landmark legislation known as the “Clean Slate” initiative. The Clean Slate initiative vastly changed Michigan’s expungement laws, allowing more people to obtain a clean criminal record. This can make getting a job, purchasing a gun, or getting into college or a professional trade school much easier. However, at the time, those who had a Michigan OWI conviction were among the few who could not get their record expunged. Last week, that changed when Governor Whitmer signed two new bills into law. On August 23, 2021, Governor Whitmer House Bills 4219 and 4220. Collectively,...