Big changes are coming for Oregon expungement laws in 2022 and beyond
Having a criminal conviction on your record can make your life much more difficult. If you've been convicted of a crime, or even arrested for one, it's understandable if you're afraid the past will follow you forever. But what if it didn't? What if you could legally deny the arrest or conviction ever occurred?
That is exactly what expungement allows in Oregon and new laws set to take effect in 2022 make the process more accessible than ever before.
Watch the video below and read on to learn how expungements work and how the Oregon expungement laws are changing for 2022 and beyond.
What is changing?
Financial Changes
The previous fee of $281 for anyone that was trying to expunge a conviction has been eliminated. The flat $80 for the Oregon State Police has also been eliminated. There will be a new fee payable to the Oregon State Police for a background check. The new fee hasn't been set yet, but it is not to exceed the actual cost of performing the background check.
Objection Procedure Changes
Under the new laws, the district attorney can only object based on prior convictions. Unlike before, they cannot object based on non-convicted conduct. They are also barred from considering any outstanding monetary obligations and they are only permitted to consider circumstances and behavior as it relates to the risk of public safety when considering eligibility.
Eligibility & Timing Changes
The previous 10 year look back period has been eliminated. It has been replaced by a new shorter, but more complex, eligibility standard that is based on the the category of crime you want to expunge and the length of time since your last criminal conviction (for any crime).
See below for a detailed table of the new eligibility timelines.
New Eligibility Timelines
The waiting periods below are from the date of your last criminal conviction for any crime. For a more detailed description, watch the video below with full examples of how the waiting periods are applied.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I'm convicted of more than one crime at the same time?
Each conviction will be subject to it's own look back period.
For example, let's assume you were convicted of a Class A Misdemeanor and a Class B Felony in January of 2020. Your Class A Misdemeanor conviction would theoretically be eligible for expungement in January 2023 and your Class B Felony conviction would theoretically be eligible for expungement in January 2027.
Contact Us Today For A Free Consultation
For more information about how this process works and whether or not it might benefit you, please contact us for a free consultation. We'll review your case and let you know whether we think expungement is possible for your situation.
