Criminal Record Expungement and Sealing in Franklin County, Ohio

https://www.dominylaw.com/ohio-expung...

If you'd like to have criminal records expunged or sealed in Franklin County, this video is for you. I'm Shawn Dominy. I'm an attorney at the Dominy Law Firm in Columbus, Ohio, and I wrote the Ohio Expungement Guide. As the subtitle to the guide indicates, there is a lot to learn before filing an application for record expungement or sealing in central Ohio. For a case in Franklin County, this video is a good place to start.

Technically, there is a difference between record sealing and record expungement. Record sealing is the removal of the case from the public records and record expungement is the actual destruction of the records. Either way, the case records are not available to the public.

Some cases are only eligible for record sealing, some cases are eligible for record expungement, but some cases are not eligible for sealing or expungement. Eligibility depends on the type of offense or offenses involved, as well as the case outcome.

Regardless of the offense or offenses involved and the case outcome, record expungement or sealing is not automatic. You have to file an application to have your records expunged or sealed, and the application has to be filed after the applicable waiting period has expired and the waiting period depends on the type of offenses involved and the case outcome.

When you file an application, the prosecution has the opportunity to object to having the records expunged or sealed. If the case involved a victim, then the victim also has the right to object. Now, after the application is filed and any objections are filed, then the judge holds a hearing.

At the hearing, the first thing the judge will do is determine whether the case is in fact eligible. Second, the judge will determine whether you have been satisfactorily rehabilitated. And third, the judge will weigh your interest in having the records expunged or sealed against the government's interest in maintaining the records as public.

You can see there is a lot to learn about criminal record expungement and sealing before filing that application, and for that reason, you may find it beneficial to read through the Ohio Expungement Guide. You can buy that guide online or you can download it for free from our website.

You may also find it beneficial to hire a lawyer. If so, the Dominy Law Firm can help. We authored the Ohio Expungement Guide and we regularly represent clients for expungement and record sealing in courts throughout central Ohio.

If you'd like to schedule a phone consultation with us, there are a couple ways you can reach us. You can call the number on the screen, or you can submit a contact form through our website. Either way, we'll schedule that free phone consultation, we'll talk about your case, and we'll discuss representation.

Whether you intend to hire our firm or not, we hope you find this video and the Ohio Expungement Guide are helpful

For more information on Ohio criminal law issues, see the videos on the Dominy Law Firm YouTube channel and the written information on the Dominy Law Firm website (https://www.dominylaw.com/).

Dominy Law Firm
7716 Rivers Edge Dr., Suite B
Columbus, OH 43235
614-717-1177