It is important to realize that changes may occur in this area of law. This information is not intended to be legal advice regarding your particular problem, and it is not intended to replace the work of an attorney.
The following information regarding clearing your record is brought to you by the lawyers of the State of Oregon. The material presented is general legal information intended to alert you to possible legal problems and solutions.
If you have been arrested or convicted of a crime, you may possibly
have the arrest or conviction cleared from your record. If, as a juvenile,
you were found to be under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court,
you may be able to have that contact cleared from your record. This
process is known as “setting aside” your arrest or conviction
or “expunction.” If you qualify and complete this process,
you may then treat the arrest, conviction or juvenile court contact
as if it never happened. In other words, if you have set aside a conviction
for a crime, you may state on any job application that you have never
been arrested or convicted of that crime.
Charges that may be set aside include most violations, misdemeanors,
Class C felonies, and those felonies that may be treated as misdemeanors.
Most Class A and Class B felony convictions may not be set aside. You
cannot set aside any type of traffic violation (such as speeding) or
traffic crime (such as DUII). Violent felonies covered by Ballot Measure
11, most sex offenses and offenses involving child abuse may not be
set aside. The following are guidelines to determine if you qualify
to set aside an arrest or conviction:
If you were arrested but the charges were not actually filed in court,
the record of the arrest may be set aside after a one-year waiting
period. If the arrest did result in charges being brought against you,
but the case was dismissed or you were acquitted in a trial, you may
apply to set aside the record of the proceedings immediately after
the dismissal or acquittal. In either situation, you must meet the
following qualifications:
- You have not been arrested for any other non-traffic charge within three years of the date you file to set aside your arrest;
- You have not been convicted of a non-traffic offense within the last 10 years;
- You have not had another conviction set aside in the last ten years; and
- You are not currently being prosecuted for any crime.
If you were convicted of the type of violation or crime that qualifies, you may, after a period of three years from the conviction, apply to set aside the record of the proceedings after a three-year waiting period. If you have been convicted of any other offense, other than traffic violations, you must wait 10 years. You must meet these conditions before applying to set aside the conviction:
- You must have completed all of the requirements imposed upon you by the court and completed your term of probation;
- You have not been convicted of a non-traffic offense within the last 10 years;
- You have not had a conviction set aside in the last 10 years, and you are not currently being prosecuted for any crime.
When filing to have an adult conviction or arrest to set aside, you
must pay an $80 fee. This pays for the state police fingerprint check.
You should apply in the court where the conviction occurred. Some courts
have forms available for your use. You will need to send a copy of
your motion to the prosecuting attorney. Since the prosecutor and the
victim have the right to investigate your background, to file an objection,
and to request a hearing, it can take some time before the court will
rule on your motion. If you have any questions, or if there is any
likelihood the prosecutor will object, you should consult with an attorney.
If you want to expunge a juvenile record, you must wait at least a
five years after the termination of your most recent contact with the
juvenile court and meet the following qualifications:
- Since the last termination, you have not been convicted of a felony or Class A misdemeanor;
- There are not charges pending against you in any criminal or juvenile court;
- There are no allegations that you are beyond parental control, you are being neglected or abused, your behavior endangers yourself or others, or you have run away from home.
- The juvenile department is not aware of any pending investigation of you by a law enforcement agency.
When you turn 18, the juvenile court must order expunction of your
record if you were never found within the jurisdiction of the court
or you meet the conditions described above. In most counties, this
is not automatic. A motion must still be filed. In spite of the waiting
period and other requirements, a juvenile court may still order the
expunction if it finds that doing so would be in the best interest
of you and the public. These rules apply to violations of non-traffic
state laws and the local ordinances. You cannot set aside any traffic,
boating or fish and game offense. You should apply to the court in
which the arrest, conviction or juvenile proceeding occurred. Some
courts have forms and guidelines on how to complete this process yourself,
but be very careful if you choose to do this. Make certain the record
is set aside by all agencies that may have records of the case. If
you have any question about such procedures, you should seek an attorney’s
assistance.
Legal Editor: The Hon. Steven A Todd,
May 2008