Mifflin County is located in the central region of Pennsylvania. The county supports over 46,000 residents within its several townships and boroughs. The Mifflin County Court of Common Pleas, located in Lewistown, PA, serves the county in all matters of law. The court holds all records and resolves all legal disputes. When a person has an arrest or criminal record that they wish to expunge, they must first petition this court to do so.
Mifflin County Expungement
When a person wishes to expunge their records in Mifflin County, they must file a proper motion with the court. However, even before they may consider the filing, they must first determine whether or not their records are even eligible for expungement at all. Pennsylvania provides narrow circumstances under which a person may qualify for an expungement. These include:
- A person that was offered an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program in lieu of a conviction will be eligible for an expungement following the completion of the program.
- A person that is over the age of 70, and has not faced any criminal proceedings for at least ten (10) years will be eligible for an expungement.
- A person that was convicted on a summary offense will be eligible for an expungement once they have served their sentence, and five (5) years have passed without additional criminal matters.
- If a person was arrested, but the criminal charges were, for example, dismissed by the Mifflin County Court, or withdrawn by the Mifflin County District Attorney's Office, these charges may be eligible for expungement; charges that were dismissed or withdrawn may, depending on the circumstances of the case, be instead eligible for a "partial" expungement, also known as a "redaction."
Mifflin County Juvenile Records
Criminal or arrest records that are created when a person is under the age of 18 will often be classified as juvenile records when recorded by the court. While well-circulated popular myth may cause people to believe that these records are only temporary, the truth is that they will continue to exist even after a person's 18th birthday has passed. Individuals with juvenile records should still expunge these records, lest any adolescent lapses in judgment interfere with their future goals. Pennsylvania presents petitioners with a wider array of avenues under which a person may expunge their records:
- A person that is over the age of 18 may request an expungement at any time, however, the court must approve of the reasoning behind their request.
- A person that was convicted of a juvenile offense may be eligible once they have fulfilled their sentence and completed a five (5) year waiting period without additional criminal matters.
- A person that has completed a court-ordered supervision will be eligible for an expungement once at least six (6) months have passed without additional criminal proceedings.
- A person that was arrested on a juvenile charge, but had the charges dismissed, will be eligible for an expungement provided they do not have any other pending criminal matters.
Mifflin County Record Sealing
If a person has more serious misdemeanor records, they may be able to seal them under Pennsylvania's "Limited Access" laws. These laws prevent background check agencies from accessing records. This effectively seals the records and prevents these records from interfering with a person's goals. Under state law, only 2nd degree, 3rd degree, and ungraded misdemeanor charges may be sealed. In addition, a person must also have completed a waiting period of ten (10) years without further or additional criminal matters against them.
Clearing Your Record in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Expungement Process in Lewisburg
When expunging a criminal record in Mifflin County, whether as an adult, juvenile or after ARD is complete or sealing a criminal record in Mifflin County, the Mifflin County Court of Common Pleas will be where the matter is addressed. The Mifflin County Court of Common Pleas is located at 20 N. Wayne Street, Lewistown, PA 17044.
The person seeking the expungement or criminal record sealing in Mifflin County will be the "petitioner" in the case, and the Mifflin County District Attorney's Office will be the "respondent." The Mifflin County District Attorney's Office is located in the Mifflin County Court House; as above, located at 20 N. Wayne Street, Lewistown, PA 17044.
The process for an expungement or criminal record sealing in Mifflin County will proceed without issue in most instances if the Mifflin County District Attorney's Office does not object to the expungement petition or limited access petition pursuant to Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure. The specific Pennsylvania expungement or limited access law which will apply to the request for relief filed in Lewisburg, PA, will depend on the specifics of the Mifflin County criminal case itself: either Pa.R.Crim.P. 490 for summary offense expungements; Pa.R.Crim.P. 790 for standard criminal record expungements; Pa.R.Crim.P. 791 and 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1 in cases involving criminal record sealing; or 18 Pa.C.S. § 9123 in cases involving juvenile records. In some instances, requesting relief based upon a combination of these Rules is sometimes required to clear a Pennsylvania criminal record in Mifflin County as comprehensively as possible.
Because the Mifflin County Court will most often decide a request for an expungement or record sealing "on the pleadings," meaning that judgment will be made on a proper petition, order, and related pleadings, persons seeking to clear their record per Pennsylvania law must make sure that their request is properly handled in all respects, and to an exacting degree. In addition, the Mifflin County Clerk of Courts requires one (1) original pleading unlike most Pennsylvania counties. Although the Clerk of Courts will serve the District Attorney's Office, it is good practice in Mifflin County for the petitioning party to also serve the District Attorney's Office.
Finding the Best Attorney for Mifflin County Expungement | Attorney for Mifflin County Record Sealing
Sealing or expunging one's records is of crucial importance to those seeking to advance their careers through professional licensure or higher education; seeking such relief can also help further a person's employment options. While a person can undertake this task on their own, they may find that they do not receive adequate direction from the court where they are filing. This can lead to delays, as improper filings may necessitate starting from the beginning, and a possible repaying of filing fees once more. To reduce the likelihood of delays and possible frustration, it may be best to have these matters handled by an attorney; an experienced Pennsylvania expungement attorney in particular.
Our Criminal Law Team has a proven record of success helping clients with clearing their records throughout Pennsylvania, and as importantly, we personally handle all clients' expungements and record sealings from start to finish. If you or a loved one is seeking an expungement or criminal record sealing in Lewistown or Mifflin County, PA, contact our Criminal Law Team today.
