| Expunge all criminal dismissals and Not Guilty findings in | | | | dismissed because you didn't do anything, were |
| Rhode Island Criminal law! | | | | wrongly accused or were actually innocent! People |
| All dismissals and not Guilty findings in Rhode Island | | | | have been conditioned to believe that all domestic |
| should be expunged! This includes both felony and | | | | charges are valid and if the case was dismissed it is |
| Criminal Misdemeanor dismissals in RI. All criminal | | | | part of a larger societal problem of domestic violence |
| records are bad records! Expungement is the process | | | | victims being too embarrassed or afraid to go |
| in which criminal records are either destroyed or | | | | forward and testify. |
| sealed. Essentially an expungement erases criminal | | | | An expungement of dismissals and not guilty findings |
| records for most purposes. | | | | can also effect how the police will perceive you and |
| You cannot expunge a dismissal or not guilty finding | | | | treat you in the future. For example, if the police pull |
| without filing a motion and without a brief court | | | | over your car they may be more likely to conduct a |
| hearing. | | | | search if you have a criminal history even if those |
| People often ask: "If the case was dismissed why | | | | cases were dismissed. |
| should I get it expunged?" The answer is simple. A | | | | If another domestic incident / allegation occurs, you |
| dismissed or not guilty case still stays on your record! | | | | may be more likely to be arrested because of the |
| A negative criminal record could affect your ability to | | | | negative implications of a dismissal. Potential spouses |
| find employment, obtain a promotion or may harm | | | | may review your criminal record before dating. |
| your reputation socially. | | | | Another reason to expunge a dismissal is because if |
| A not guilty finding occurs after a judge or jury | | | | you are later convicted of a felony you may not be |
| determines that you are not guilty after a trial. Cases | | | | able to expunge the dismissal. |
| in which there was no information should also be | | | | A person with a felony conviction cannot have a not |
| expunged. | | | | guilty finding or dismissal expunged |
| Nobody wants their friends , colleagues or others | | | | One year filings should also be expunged at the end |
| fishing around looking into old police reports and | | | | of the year. |
| records when the case was dismissed. | | | | Certain felony and misdemeanor convictions and |
| In Rhode Island all criminal records can be viewed by | | | | probationary periods can also be expunged after a |
| the general public at Courtconnect.courts.state.ri.us | | | | waiting period. A felony conviction or probationary |
| People tend to wrongly assume that if you were | | | | period may be expunged after ten years form the |
| charged with a crime that you must be a bad apple. | | | | end of a sentence if other legal requirements and |
| People assume that you must have been guilty, even | | | | prerequisites are met. A misdemeanor conviction or |
| if the case was dismissed! People assume that you | | | | period of probation may be expunged after five (5) |
| must have got off on a technicality. | | | | years from the end of a sentence if other legal |
| If it was a domestic case (such as domestic assault, | | | | requirements and prerequisites are met. |
| domestic vandalism or domestic disorderly conduct) | | | | Dismissals that were never expunged can come back |
| which was dismissed then people often assume that | | | | to haunt someone in a divorce, child custody or |
| the case was dismissed because the alleged victim, | | | | family law case. A spouse can seek to use the |
| girlfriend or wife was too afraid to go forward or | | | | criminal record of dismissal to get an advantage in a |
| was financially dependant on you. | | | | divorce or child custody case in Family Court. |
| It is rare that people assume that the case was | | | | |