Expungement Lawyer in Attleboro

35+ Years in Court. Former Prosecutor. I Handle Every Case Myself.

A past arrest or conviction can follow you into job applications, housing screenings, and professional licensing decisions for years. Massachusetts law provides two distinct legal processes for addressing that record: sealing, which limits public access, and expungement, which permanently destroys it. I’m Brian D. Roman, and with more than 35 years of courtroom experience and a background as a former Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, I handle sealing and expungement petitions for clients throughout Attleboro and the surrounding Bristol County area.

As a sole practitioner, I personally review every client’s full case history to determine which charges qualify under Massachusetts law. That review isn’t delegated to staff. You work directly with me from the first conversation through any court appearance.

Ready to find out whether your record qualifies? I offer free consultations in person or virtually. Call me directly at (508) 687-6404.

Direct Access to Your Attorney at Every Step

When questions arise about your petition, you speak with me, not a paralegal or front-desk coordinator. That direct access matters in record-clearing matters because the analysis is specific to your history: the charges involved, how each case was disposed of, and whether the relevant waiting periods have passed. Decades of trial work across Massachusetts state courts have also given me long-standing familiarity with court processes that helps me move petitions through efficiently.

Sealing vs. Expungement: What Massachusetts Law Allows

These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they aren’t the same thing under Massachusetts law. Understanding the difference determines which path you’re eligible for.

Criminal Record Sealing limits public access to your record. The record continues to exist and remains accessible to law enforcement and certain licensing agencies, but it won’t appear on most background checks. Adult sealing petitions in Massachusetts are processed through the Massachusetts Probation Service.

Criminal Record Expungement goes further: the record is permanently destroyed. It’s available in far more limited circumstances, and a judge must approve every petition. Approval isn’t automatic.

Eligibility: Waiting Periods, Offense Categories, & the Under-21 Option

Eligibility depends on how your case ended, how much time has passed, and the nature of the offense.

Immediate Sealing is generally available for records that ended in dismissal, a finding of no probable cause, or a not-guilty verdict, with certain exceptions.

Conviction Sealing requires a waiting period: three years after disposition or release for misdemeanors and seven years for felonies.

Expungement is available in specific statutory circumstances, including offenses that have since been decriminalized, records resulting from identity theft or fraud, certain juvenile cases, and a one-time option under the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Reform Act of 2018 for offenses committed before age 21, subject to waiting periods and no new offenses during that time.

Filing a Sealing or Expungement Petition in Massachusetts

A sealing petition is filed with the Massachusetts Probation Service; in some cases, a hearing before a judge is required. An expungement petition goes directly before a judge and isn’t granted simply by filing. I prepare and file every petition myself and appear on your behalf at any related court proceedings. For records arising from matters heard at Attleboro District Court, sealing petitions follow the same statewide Probation Service process.

Having litigated cases across Massachusetts courts for more than three decades, I know how to present these petitions clearly and address any judicial concerns about whether relief may be appropriate.

Get a Free Consultation About Your Record

If an old record is affecting your employment, housing, or licensing opportunities, the first step is finding out whether you qualify for relief. I offer free initial consultations, available in person or virtually, and I’m reachable around the clock because these questions don’t wait for business hours.

Call Brian D. Roman, Attorney at Law at (508) 687-6404 to schedule your consultation and get a direct answer about your options.