| Persons Convicted of an Offense | |
If you have been convicted of an offense and are a first offender, you may qualify for expungement. By statute, application for expungement is made to the sentencing judge. Certain waiting periods, as described below, apply before a first offender may apply for expungement. The final decision to grant or deny expungement is in the discretion of the sentencing judge. Please note that even though a criminal conviction has been expunged, it may still be used as specified in Ohio Revised Code section 2953.32(D), (E), (F) & (G), and Ohio Revised Code Chapter 2950 [Sexual Predators, etc.]. A first offender means anyone who has been convicted of an offense in this state or any other jurisdiction and who previously or subsequently has not been convicted of the same or a different offense in this state or any other jurisdiction. Ohio Revised Code 2953.31(A). Ohio Revised Code 2953.31(A) also provides the following:
Except as otherwise provided [see the paragraphs that follow], Ohio Revised Code 2953.31(A) provides the following do not constitute a previous or subsequent conviction:
The following, however, are considered a previous or subsequent conviction according to Ohio Revised Code 2953.31(A): A conviction for a violation of section 4511.19 [OVI], 4511.251[Street Racing], 4549.02 [Stopping after accident on public roads or highways], 4549.021 [Stopping after accident on other than public roads or highways], 4549.03 [Stopping after accident involving damage to realty or personal property attached to real property], 4549.042 [Sale or possession of master key designed to fit more than one motor vehicle], or 4549.62 [Offenses with purpose to conceal or destroy identity (of vehicle)]or sections 4549.41 to 4549.46 [Odometer Related Offenses] of the Revised Code, for a violation of section 4510.11 [Driving under suspension or in violation of license restriction] or 4510.14 [Driving under OVI suspension] of the Revised Code that is based upon the offender's operation of a vehicle during a suspension imposed under section 4511.191 [Implied consent] or 4511.196 [Initial appearance] of the Revised Code, for a violation of a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, for a felony violation of Title XLV [45] [Motor Vehicles -- Aeronautics -- Watercraft] of the Revised Code, or for a violation of a substantially equivalent former law of this state or former municipal ordinance shall be considered a previous or subsequent conviction. In any case, and as required in Ohio Revised Code Section 2953.36, the following do not qualify for expungement: [But read, State v. LaSalle, 96 Ohio St.3d 178, 2002-Ohio-4009]
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| Waiting period | ||
| Except as provided in Ohio Revised Code section 2953.61, a first offender may apply for expungement at the expiration of three years after the offender's final discharge if convicted of a felony, or at the expiration of one year after the offender's final discharge if convicted of a misdemeanor. Ohio Revised Code section 2953.32. In general, final discharge means you have completed what the judge ordered, such as the jail term imposed, the period of probation, and paid all fines and restitution. | ||