San Diego Criminal Lawyers Blog
If you have been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor in the state of California and you wanted to have your charges expunged but found out you were ineligible for that to happen, you may be wondering if a Certificate of Rehabilitation will be a suitable alternative. While not exactly the same thing as an expungement, there are many similarities. If you are successful at obtaining a Certificate of Rehabilitation, then you essentially are receiving a court order that, after you completed your prison sentence, shows you are rehabilitated.
If you want to learn more about a California Certificate of Rehabilitation and what your options are, the Law Offices of David M. Boertje can examine your case, answer your questions, and provide you with effective legal counsel. When you meet with David M. Boertje, your consultation is always free and confidential.
Would a Certificate of Rehabilitation Help You Move Forward With Your Life in California?
A Certificate of Rehabilitation is beneficial because it does many invaluable things for your life including:
- Allows you to regain your civil rights (with the exception of the Second Amendment rights).
- Show that the criminal justice system agrees that you have been restored and rehabilitated to safely re-enter society.
- You can obtain public licensure.
- Employers cannot deny your job opportunities on the basis of your past criminal history.
- For some sex offenders, the COR allows you to avoid having to register as a sex offender.
- You become automatically eligible to apply for a Governor’s Pardon.
Those individuals who under the state’s realignment program had jail or prison sentences can apply if the following is true:
- After you have served your time and were released, you did not commit another crime resulting in your incarceration.
- After you have served your time and were released you remained living in the state of California for a minimum of five years. If you were on parole after your release, you resided in the state for at least three years.
- You can prove that you are in fact, rehabilitated.
- The proper amount of time has passed for the crimes you were convicted.
- You are not serving probation time for committing another felony crime since your release.
- Your felony probation or misdemeanor sex offense under Penal Code 290 was expunged.
There is no doubt about it, a California Certificate of Rehabilitation can do many things to help you improve your life outside of prison. It is not an easy process, it can be quite complex, and there are many considerations. Your best bet when it comes to navigating the process of obtaining a California Certificate of Rehabilitation is to work with a San Diego criminal defense attorney who is current on all the changing California criminal laws. The best legal services come from an experienced attorney that knows how to help protect the rights of those who have been charged with crimes in the greater San Diego area. Continue reading