Walk It Through: The Old Misdemeanors
Three old misdemeanors, one petition in a lifetime, and 5 clean years for a presumption.
A man has three misdemeanor convictions from different courts over the years.
Two things a person in this spot might do. Picking one shows what the law says about it.
Old misdemeanor convictions of an adult. A felony record, a juvenile record and a marijuana conviction under the newer law are left to their own pages.
A practice walkthrough, not a prediction of how any real one will go. Legal information, not legal advice.
Words this turns on
Terms with a legal meaning that is narrower than the everyday one. Each links to the definition and the authority behind it.
- ExpungementA district court order removing the records of arrest, investigation, detention and court proceedings for one or more misdemeanors. A person may petition only once in a lifetime.
- MisdemeanorAn offense punished by county jail, a fine, or both, or by state prison for 1 year or less.
- Order of protectionA court order that may bar contact, keep the respondent a set distance away, and remove the respondent from the home. A temporary order issues at once on a sworn petition showing danger, and a hearing is held within 20 days.
- Partner or family memberPartners are spouses and former spouses, people with a child in common, and people who are or were dating or in an intimate relationship. Family members include parents, children, siblings, step and in-law relatives, past or present.