How much does an expungement lawyer cost

How Much Does it Cost to File for Expungement?

When you decide to get a record expunged, it’s usually because you are applying for a job or school and you want to clean up your record in advance. You don’t want a charge to show up on a background check. But now, you’re wondering, how much does it cost to get a record expunged?

There are several costs associated with getting an expungement – and all of them are worth it, if it you are trying to get a record sealed so that it does not get in the way of a school application or new job. After all, you already went through the trouble of dealing with the charge in court, right? This is the last step to get the charge permanently removed from your record forever.

The total cost to expunge a record depends on the state where the charge occurred. But at least in Virginia, here’s how much it costs to get an expungement per charge:

Certified Copy – $2.00

Filing Fee – $50.00 to $120.00*

Sheriff’s Service Fee – $12.00

Fingerprint Cards – $5.00 to $20.00*

Legal Costs – Varies

*Depends on circuit court fee schedule and law enforcement department. Typically, the clerk’s office will charge a $86.00 filing fee and the police department will charge $10.00 for a fingerprint card

That’s it. You can get a charge expunged, at least in Virginia, after paying the above amounts.

In general, you will likely need to pay $2.00 to get a certified copy of the charge you want expunged; $86.00 to file the petition; $12.00 to serve the petition on the Commonwealth’s Attorney; $10.00 to obtain a fingerprint card; and, legal costs to your attorney to process the expungement.

At the end of the expungement process, your record is wiped clean. Is it worth it to remove a charge from your criminal record? For many people, it’s a worthwhile expense. You protect your reputation and remove the charge from your record before applying for work, school, or a security clearance.

For more information on applying for expungement, contact a Virginia expungement lawyer.

Expunge Oklahoma criminal records, only $499 attorney fee!

Do you need an Expungement in the Oklahoma City area?

Do you have a criminal record that is keeping you from getting a job, getting enrolled in college or is otherwise keeping you from being more successful? Are you tired of having your privacy invaded? You may be eligible for a full expungement of your criminal record.

What does an expungement do?

A full expungement pursuant to 22 Okla. Stat. §§ 18 and 19 will permanently seal from public view all records relating to:

  • the Arrest
  • the Booking photos and information
  • the Charges filed
  • the entire Court file
  • Any related forfeiture case or other civil proceedings

Once your case is expunged, you can legally deny it ever happened.

What types of records can you expunge in Oklahoma?

If you hire us, we can expunge the following:

  • Misdemeanors
  • Non-Violent Felonies
  • Victim Protective Orders

If you have questions about which category your case is in, just fill out the form above and we will get back with you immediately and explain how we can expunge your case.

How much are the attorney fees? Only $499*

We charge only $499 (plus government costs) for uncontested expungements in the following counties:

  • Oklahoma County

Our fee of $499 includes all legal services necessary to get your case expunged. There are also district court filing fees and other costs charged by the government, which we explain below.

We charge only $750 in these counties:

  • Canadian County
  • Cleveland County

Our fee of $750 includes all legal services necessary to get your case expunged. There are also court filing fees and other costs charged by the government, which we explain below.

*The Fine Print: When does it cost more than $499 

We charge $499 for uncontested expungements in nearby counties surrounding the OKC Metro Area. For counties outside of our area, our fees start at $750. We still usually beat prices of other lawyers, including many local lawyers in their own rural county.

Most expungements are uncontested. If you eligible under the statute, there is a good chance that once we file your case, the State, Prosecutors, and Law Enforcement agencies will agree to the expungement.

In some cases, usually cases that involve complex questions of law or fact, the State will contest your expungement, which will require additional briefs and hearings. In these types of cases, we charge an additional retainer. We are usually able to predict this ahead of time during the initial consultation. The only other times this happens is if the client does not give us all information about their prior conviction history in other states. If you would like a free quote, please complete the form below.

What are the filing fees for an Expungement in Oklahoma?

There are at least four types of government costs in a typical expungement case.

  • Attorney’s Fee
  • Filing fee paid to the District Court
  • Processing fee paid to OSBI
  • Processing fee paid to Municipality (if applicable)

The filing fee in Oklahoma County (2020) is $164.14. This fee is paid directly to the Court Clerk in order to file your petition for expungement and get a hearing in front of a judge.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) is a state agency that collects data on arrests and criminal charges, around the entire state. If you are arrested, the arresting agency generally sends your information to OSBI, and OSBI keeps a catalog on you. (Sometimes, the police agency or sheriff’s office forgets to send your file to OSBI, and therefore OSBI won’t have a record on you, but the local authorities will still have their records).

After your case is successfully expunged in Court, we must send a certified copy of that Court Order to all agencies that have records on you, including OSBI.

OSBI charges an administrative fee of $150 to formally expunge your record.

Therefore, in Oklahoma County your base price will be:

  • $164.14 (Filing fee paid to the court)
  • $499 (Attorney’s Fee)
  • $150 (OSBI fee)
  • ~ $8 to $10 postage

= $825.00 base retainer, (attorney’s fee plus costs).

If the Oklahoma City Police were involved in your case, then you add $150 to that, because the City of Oklahoma City charges an administrative fee of $150 to process OSBI (they have basically copied what OSBI does and they have passed an ordinance to allow this). The City of Bethany also charges $150. The City of Midwest City charges $50.

It is very possible that you could have multiple law enforcement agencies involved in a single case. For a custom price quote for your case, simply complete the form below.

How much do other Attorneys charge for Expungements in Oklahoma?

Most attorneys in Oklahoma charge over $1000 (not including costs) to file an expungement in Oklahoma County!

In fact, it is not uncommon for many of our peers in the legal profession to charge between $1200 to $1500 – not including filing fees or costs — for a simple expungement.

Why other Attorneys do not advertise their prices

If you browse the internet, you will find many attorneys who claim to do affordable expungements, yet they do not advertise the price. Some will even say they charge flat fees, instead of hourly rates, yet they still will not disclose what the flat fee is until you arrive at their office.

Why don’t they price advertise? Because they charge a lot of money!

Think about it. If your service is really expensive, you will probably not attract customers based on price, so you advertise other reasons to hire you, such as past experience, or familiarity with the law. But these things are a prerequisite to being a competent expungement lawyer anyway.

Why is our price so low?

Because we believe in affordable prices and access to justice. And because most expungements are not that complicated.

We believe that most lawyers are overpriced and charge too much for services like expungements.

Our fee is designed to compensate us for our time involved in screening the client’s case, preparing the proper documents, circulating the documents to all parties including the court and all law enforcement agencies; our appearance before the judge at the final hearing, and our work after the expungement in sending the court’s order to all agencies.

RETAINER PRICE LIST:

The following chart shows the required retainers for various counties. These retainers include the attorney fees, district court filing fees, postage, and processing fees to the agencies that charge to clear their systems. I’ve included a total amount for your convenience.

  • Oklahoma County (w/ OKC): $975
  • Oklahoma County (w/ MWC): $875
  • Oklahoma County, generally: $825
  • Canadian County: $1,075
  • Cleveland County: $1,075
  • Tulsa County: $1,500
  • All other counties: $1,200 to $1,500 total cost. Please contact our office for a direct price quote for your county.

Have questions about your criminal/arrest record?

Just complete the form above and we will be happy to answer all of your questions.

How much is an expungement in Louisiana?

Include all the required documents and forms including your criminal record. You must get a copy of your criminal record from the state of Louisiana within 30 days of filing your expungement petition. Pay the $550 fee.

How much is expungement in MN?

If you apply by preparing and filing a Petition for Expungement directly with the Court, you will have to pay a $300 filing fee for each offense or ask the Court to waive this fee based on your income.

How much does expungement cost in Virginia?

The cost of an expungement proceeding can vary a little, based upon local charges. The fee for filing a proceeding is currently around $84 and the cost of serving the petition on the state is $12, for a total of $96.

How much is it to expunge your record in Florida?

As with any court filing there is a small fee. In Florida the cost for an expungement petition is $75. This doesn't mean that you just pay your money and you're done. You have to make sure you have filled out the proper forms and you have all the relevant documentation.

How much does it cost to expunge your record in New Jersey?

Does it cost to file for an expungement? Yes. In New Jersey, filing a petition for expungement carries a $75 filing fee.

How much does expungement cost in Kentucky?

Filing Fees A $50 non-refundable filing fee is due at the time the application is filed. If the application is granted, the defendant must pay an expungement fee of $250, which can be made in installment payments. The expungement cannot be completed until the full $250 has been paid.