Choosing the best expungement attorney in Sacramento.
If you are looking for an expungement attorney in Sacramento, start with the question that matters most: who will actually be handling your case? I am Chris Parkhurst, Esq. I have been defending cases in Sacramento County since 1999, and my State Bar number is 203402. You work with us directly rather than with an intake team or a call center.
What that means in practice is straightforward. I read your file before I tell you what I think of it, I explain what it actually supports, and I give you the realistic range of outcomes rather than the encouraging end of it. For the detail on the charge itself, see expungement and record relief. To find out what happens next in your case, call.
Expungement charges I defend.
These are the expungement matters I handle for clients in Sacramento and across Sacramento County.
- Dismissal after probation. Penal Code 1203.4, the main expungement remedy.
- Dismissal without probation. The equivalent where no probation was granted.
- Reduction of a felony to a misdemeanour. Penal Code 17(b), usually the remedy that actually solves the problem.
- Sealing an arrest record. For arrests that did not result in conviction.
- Certificate of rehabilitation. A court finding, and a step toward a pardon where dismissal is unavailable.
- Proposition 47 reclassification. Reclassifies qualifying felony theft and drug convictions.
- Cannabis conviction relief. Dismissal or reduction of prior cannabis convictions.
- Sealing juvenile records. Not automatic in every case.
If your charge is not listed, call me. Working out what you are actually facing is the first useful thing that happens.
What I look at first.
What I examine first in a expungement case out of Sacramento:
- What is actually on your record, including anything already relieved automatically
- Whether the conviction is a wobbler that can be reduced
- Which remedy addresses the thing that is actually blocking you
- Whether probation was completed, and on what terms
- Whether a licensing board or an immigration question is involved
- Which county the conviction is in, since that is where the petition is filed
None of that happens on its own. It happens because somebody asked for it early, while it still existed.
Who arrested you in Sacramento.
Sacramento Police Department. 5770 Freeport Blvd #200, Sacramento, CA 95822. (916) 808-5471.
- Sacramento County Sheriff. the unincorporated county surrounding the city, and the Main Jail where people are booked.
- California Highway Patrol. Interstate 5, Highway 50, Interstate 80 and Highway 99, which all meet in or beside the city.
- Sacramento Regional Transit police. the light rail system and the stations along it.
- Sacramento State and UC Davis Medical Center forces. their respective campuses, each with its own jurisdiction.
Sacramento is the largest city in the region and the county seat, so both the volume of cases and the machinery that handles them are concentrated here. Four major routes meet in or beside the city, and the CHP writes a large share of the traffic reports as a result. Midtown and the K Street corridor produce most of the late-night calls, the light rail system has its own transit police, and two campuses add their own forces. Which of those agencies made the arrest is the first thing worth establishing, because they do not keep records the same way.
Where a Sacramento case is heard.
A expungement case arising in Sacramento is prosecuted by the Sacramento County District Attorney at 901 G St, Sacramento, CA 95814 and heard in Sacramento County. The date and location printed on your citation or release paperwork is the authority rather than anything on this page.
Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse
720 9th St, Sacramento, CA 95814. (916) 874-5522
How this office charges cases and what happens between arrest and arraignment is set at county level. See Sacramento County.
Areas I serve around Sacramento.
Sacramento is large, and the city boundary meets unincorporated county on several sides.
- Downtown and the court district. where the courts, the District Attorney's office, the Main Jail and my office all sit.
- Midtown and the K Street corridor. the main bar and restaurant district, and the source of most late-night arrests.
- Oak Park and Land Park. residential neighbourhoods south of the centre, policed by Sacramento PD.
- Natomas and North Sacramento. north of the river, with the Interstate 5 and Interstate 80 corridors running through.
- Arden-Arcade and the unincorporated ring. Sheriff territory rather than city police, and the boundary is not obvious.
I also cover Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, West Sacramento.
Sacramento questions I hear most.
Does expungement erase a conviction in California?
No. A dismissal under Penal Code 1203.4 withdraws the plea and dismisses the case, which releases you from most penalties. The record still shows the conviction and then its dismissal.
Will expungement restore my firearm rights?
Not by itself. Reduction of a wobbler felony to a misdemeanour under Penal Code 17(b) can, which is why the reduction is the more important remedy where firearms matter. See weapons charges.
I heard California clears records automatically now.
Automatic relief covers qualifying convictions without a petition, but coverage is incomplete and records are not always updated in practice. Worth checking what has actually happened before paying for anything.
Is there a criminal court in Sacramento?
Yes — Sacramento is the county seat, so the court is here.
Do I have to appear in court myself?
For most misdemeanours an attorney can appear on your behalf. Felonies generally require your presence. Which applies depends on the charge, so it is worth asking early rather than assuming.
What does defending a expungement case in Sacramento cost?
It depends on the charge, whether it is a misdemeanour or a felony, and whether the case is likely to resolve or be tried. Call and I will tell you what representation in your situation would cost before you commit to anything. For the general picture, see what a criminal defence lawyer costs in California.
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