The process of expunging a felony conviction varies from state to state, and in some states it is not possible to expunge a felony conviction. The U.S. District Court does not provide options, instead leaving it up to the states in which the felony was committed to determine whether or not it is advisable or possible to expunge the convicted person’s record.

Although it is common belief that felony conviction records become sealed after a period of time, a specific application to have the conviction expunged is required for the convicted person’s record to be cleared. There is law governing the circumstances under which a felony conviction may be expunged, and an applicant must meet the legal criteria to be approved.

The length of the decision process varies depending on the seriousness of the conviction or the business of the court involved. All applications require fees, typically in the $2000-3000 range, which include the steps of drafting the application/petition, filing, and more. Not every petition will be allowed, but the chances of a positive result are increased with additional research into whether or not the convict meets the legal requirements for expunging records.