Ohio HB1 Success
If you have followed our publications regarding the on-going changes to Ohio Expungement Law, you know that the Ohio Legislature has made dramatic expansions to Ohio’s Expungement / Sealing of Record Statute. (The terms “Sealing of Records” and “Expungement” are commonly referred to as the same legal process in Ohio.) The most notable change (in OH HB1) is the increase in the number of convictions eligible for sealing. As a result, we have seen a substantial increase of prospects with multiple criminal convictions contacting us to represent them to seal their criminal records.
Our Law Firm’s Experience with HB1
If you have either multiple felonies, misdemeanors, or a combination of multiple felonies and misdemeanors convictions, and have been considering attempting to expunge those criminal records, we thought it would be helpful to provide “real-life” examples from a few of our expungement cases.
Sealing Multiple Convictions is No Cakewalk
Please do not go into the expungement process with the assumption that record expungement is a right. Prosecutors routinely object and fight our expungement applications, especially for clients with multiple convictions. They commonly cite the case, State V. Simon, stating, Sealing of Records “is an act of grace created by the state, and so it is a privilege, not a right.” Also, Judges more closely scrutinize the expungement applications for cases with multiple convictions. Judges may ask clients, why they did not learn anything after their first or second conviction. When a person has multiple convictions, the Judge can doubt that the person has learned their lesson or question whether they are truly rehabilitated and are contributing members of society. Sealing multiple convictions requires an experienced expungement attorney to plan the case, brief the case with support, and prepare the client for testimony to be successful.
Our Expungement Resume
We have helped thousands of clients over the last 30-plus years navigate the confusing waters of Ohio record expungement. In the last year, we have seen an increase in the number of clients who have multiple convictions – felonies, misdemeanors, or a combination of both. Since HB1 was passed into law, we’ve helped:
- A client who had 5 felony convictions in Ohio, plus one out of state.
- A client who had 11 misdemeanor and felony convictions – in 5 different Ohio courts.
- A client who had been unsuccessfully represented by other attorneys to seal 12 felonies, 1 misdemeanor, and 18 dismissed felony charges.
- A client, who is now out of state, had 21 charges in 3 different Ohio municipal courts and 1 common pleas court.
These are some of the most challenging cases we’ve represented in the last year since HB1 became law in Ohio. If we can handle complex cases like these, imagine what we can do for a drug possession charge, underage drinking, or even a fraud conviction.
There are still some limits to expungement eligibility, but the changes under HB1 have dramatically expanded the eligibility for expungement of Ohio convictions.
Ask our Top-Rated Ohio Expungement Services
Whether you have 1 or 21 convictions, we’d invite you to take our Free On-Line Eligibility Test or give our office a call. We have over 30 years of success stories in obtaining expungements for our clients. As trial attorneys and former prosecutors, we can use our experience to help you get a second chance. Our law firm has an emphasis on expungement and sealing of Ohio criminal records. We have been in business and located in central Ohio since 1988 and handle cases in all 88 counties of Ohio.
