Have you or someone you know ever been convicted of an offense but after a while wondered if that offense could be cleaned from a record? If you know of someone with a conviction and he or she has never wondered if an offense could be wiped, they should.
Two ways to do this are through expungements and pardons. Do you know what they are, and do you know the difference between them?
Attorney Grant Varner explains, “Expungement is available for a large number of offenses.” He discusses the processes, applications, and fees involved, along with the agency that must process the expungement application and, if successful, the expungement order.
Pardons are different in that, for state offenses, the governor issues the pardon and, in essence, forgives the crime.
“Expungements are not so hard to come by if you meet all of the requirements,” according to Varner.
“A pardon,” he says, “is substantially harder to obtain.” He also clarifies that while the governor must pardon a state offense, only the president can pardon a federal offense.
EXPUNGEMENT RESOURCES
- To obtain a background check from the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), visit: https://catch.sled.sc.gov.
- To apply for an expungement in South Carolina’s 13th Judicial Circuit (Greenville and Pickens Counties), visit: http://www.greenvillecounty.org/solicitor/expungements.asp.
- To apply for an expungement in South Carolina’s 7th Judicial Circuit (Spartanburg and Cherokee Counties), visit: http://www.spartanburgcounty.org/govt/depts/sol/SolicitorsInterventionPrograms.html.
- To apply for an expungement in South Carolina’s 10th Judicial Circuit (Anderson and Oconee Counties), read information available from the South Carolina Judicial Department at: http://www.judicial.state.sc.us/expungementInfo/expAppProcessGS.cfm.
If you find yourself in need of professional legal services or require legal representation, contact an attorney like Grant Varner with Varner and Segura. Visit Varner and Segura online at www.VarnerAndSeguraOnline.com or call (864) 271-2232.
NOTE: Nothing above or in the accompanying video is offered as legal advice, and nothing above or in the accompanying video should be construed as a substitute for retained legal advice.
PHOTO CREDIT: timlewisnm / Distributed Under Creative Commons.