Cameron County is located in the northern portion of the state. The county is one of Pennsylvania's less populated areas, with just over 4,700 residents within its borders. All legal matters within the county are overseen by the Cameron County Court of Common Pleas. The court is located in Emporium, PA. The court serves the community in all higher-level criminal and civil legal disputes. When a person wishes to clear their name and expunge or seal former arrest records or criminal records, a legal motion must be filed with the Cameron County Court of Common Pleas.
Cameron County Expungement Process
In Cameron County, when a person wishes to pursue the legal process for expungement, they must first meet the state's requirements for expungement. Pennsylvania law will allow for expungement only in certain situations. If a person wishes to expunge their former criminal or arrest records, their circumstances may fall under with one of the following scenarios:
- If a person was convicted of a summary offense and they have satisfied any condition of their sentence, and also five (5) years have passed since without any criminal proceedings against them, they may be eligible for an expungement.
- If a person was offered an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program in lieu of a criminal conviction, they must first complete the ARD program. Following the completion of the program, they will be eligible for an expungement.
- If a person is over the age of 70, and over ten (10) years have passed since any criminal proceedings have been brought against them.
- If a person was arrested, but the criminal charges were, for example, dismissed by the Cameron County Court, or withdrawn by the Cameron County District Attorney's Office, these charges may be eligible for expungement; in some instances, the appropriate form of relief for charges that were dismissed or withdrawn may be a "partial" expungement, also known as a "redaction."
Cameron County Record Sealing Process
Pennsylvania also allows for the sealing of more serious criminal and arrest records through the state's "Limited Access" laws. These laws make an individual's records inaccessible during background checks, effectively sealing the records. When a person wishes to have their records sealed they must first meet the eligibility requirements for the state. Misdemeanor records for 3rd degree, 2nd degree, and ungraded misdemeanor charges may be sealed under this method, with some exceptions. In addition, ten (10) years must have passed since a person has faced any criminal proceedings before they may request a record sealing in Cameron County.
Cameron County Juvenile Records Expungement
Any criminal or arrest records accrued prior to a person's 18th birthday will be known as juvenile records. While many believe that these records are simply cleared upon a person's coming of age, they must be expunged just like any other record. Pennsylvania law is slightly more lenient when it comes to requesting expungement for juvenile records. In order for a person to request expungement of their juvenile records, one of the following must apply:
- The person is over 18, and has petitioned the court for expungement, and the court has approved.
- The person was placed under court supervision, the supervision has concluded, and six (6) months have passed without any criminal proceedings.
- The person was convicted on a juvenile delinquency charge, the sentencing has been completed, and the person has not faced any criminal proceedings for at least five (5) years.
- The person faced juvenile charges, but the charges were later dismissed or withdrawn.
Clearing Your Criminal Record in Emporium, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Expungement Process in Emporium
When expunging a criminal record in Cameron County, whether as an adult, juvenile, or after ARD is complete, or sealing a criminal record in Cameron County, the Cameron County Court of Common Pleas will be where the matter is addressed. The Cameron County Court of Common Pleas is located at 20 E. 5th Street, Emporium, PA 15834.
The person seeking the expungement or criminal record sealing in Cameron County will be the "petitioner" in the case, and the Cameron County District Attorney's Office will be the "respondent." The Cameron County District Attorney's Office is located at 210 South Wood Street, Emporium, PA 15834.
The process for an expungement or criminal record sealing in Cameron County will proceed without issue in most instances if the Cameron 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 Emporium, PA, will depend on the specifics of the Cameron 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 Cameron County as comprehensively as possible.
Because the Cameron 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 Cameron 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 Cameron County for the petitioning party to also serve the District Attorney's Office.
Finding the Best Attorney for Cameron County Expungement | Attorney for Cameron County Record Sealing
Filing motions for expungement or criminal record sealing can be of utmost importance for students who wish to enter or continue with higher education, or individuals who wish to avoid employment issues or wish to hold a professional license. The process for filing, however, can become frustrating and confusing for a person who is not well-versed in matters of law. The court will often expect that a person knows all particular steps for these processes, and any missteps may require a person to start over from the beginning, further delaying their desired outcome. For this reason, expungements or record sealing requests in Cameron County may be best handled by an experienced Pennsylvania criminal record expungement attorney.
LLF Law Firm has a proven record of success helping clients with clearing their records throughout Pennsylvania, and as importantly, handles 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 Emporium or Cameron County, PA, contact attorney LLF Law Firm today.
