How to Get a 40-Year-Old Fine Off Your Record
- 1). Request a certified copy of your criminal record. The office that handles such records varies from state to state. You may have to pay a small fee.
- 2). Research the expungement law of the state that fined you to determine whether you are eligible to apply for an expungement (please see Resources section). Some states expunge charges but not convictions, while some condition expungement on a number of factors such as whether you have committed prior or subsequent offenses.
- 3). Obtain a police report of the incident that led to the fine, if one exists. Most states have a centralized office that keeps archived police records.
- 4). Download an expungement petition from the appropriate website. In many states, the attorney general's office handles expungements. Some states require you to draft your own petition based on instructions they provide.
- 5). Complete the expungement petition and sign it. You may need information about the incident that you were fined for from your criminal record and the police report.
- 6). Submit the expungement petition to the court clerk of the court that fined you. The court might require supporting documentation, such as a copy of your criminal record and the police report. You may have to pay a filing fee.
- 7). Attend the expungement hearing if the state requires a hearing. If it does, it may allow an attorney to appear in your place. You are also entitled to represent yourself at the hearing. The judge may ask about the incident in question and about your reasons for seeking an expungement. If your petition is granted, the judge will issue an expungement order.
- 8). Obtain a certified copy of the expungement order from the court clerk.
- 9). Obtain a second copy of your criminal record several weeks after the expungement and confirm that the expungement actually took place. If it still appears on your record, return to the court clerk with your copy of the expungement order and demand that the expungement be executed.
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