Guides to clearing a California record
The questions people actually ask, answered properly, with the statute cited so you can check us. Including the ones whose honest answer costs us money.
Check Automatic Relief FirstBefore you spend a dollar on a petition, there is a real chance California's Department of Justice has already acted on your case without telling you. This is t…Background Check BasicsThis is the single most-asked question about California record relief, and the honest answer is: it depends which background check you mean. There are three dif…Real Cost BreakdownThe honest range for hiring an attorney to handle a straightforward California dismissal is roughly $500 to $1,500, all in. Here is what drives that range, what…Timeline, RealisticallyThere is no single number, but there is a realistic range. Most straightforward petitions take about two to four months from filing to a decision, and the steps…Gun Rights, HonestlyThis is the question we get asked the most, and it has an answer people do not want to hear: in California, a standard dismissal does not restore your right to …DUI Dismissal, HonestlyYes, a California DUI conviction can be dismissed after probation. But “can” is doing a lot of work in that sentence -- it is discretionary, not automatic, and …Disclosure RulesFor most everyday situations, a dismissed conviction does not have to be disclosed. But the statute that grants the dismissal also names three specific situatio…Probation ViolationsA probation violation does not close the door on a dismissal. What it does is change the court's decision from something it generally must grant into something …
Find out where you actually stand
The check is free, takes about two minutes, and needs no account and no card. If your record cannot be cleared yet, it tells you that and why.