Finding a Lawyer for an Expungement
You generally must pay for an attorney for an expungement. This is because an expungement is not a criminal case and you do not face the possibility of losing any liberties (like going to jail). Rather, an expungement proceeding is a civil case, and in civil cases you must generally pay for your own lawyer.
However, some local bar associations offer to represent individuals on a pro bono basis (i.e. for free) who need expungements. But you’ll have to ask around in your local area to see where you can find these individuals. You may want to start with the local public defender’s office. There is also usually a filing fee associated with the expungement that you have to pay, unless you can get it waived.
You can also represent yourself, i.e. pro se, in obtaining your expungement. But it may be difficult to go through the process without at least some guidance from an attorney. If you choose to select an attorney (or ask an attorney for guidance), make sure to ask trusted people you know and use referrals.
Finally, we’ll wrap this article up with some main points to keep in mind.