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Professional and Experienced Attorney
About Us
Karen Shelley, Esq. has practiced criminal law for fourteen years and has seen how devastating a criminal record can be on her clients and their families.
Our team starts at the beginning, by obtaining a criminal record and conducting an analysis to determine if and how we can assist.
Many misdemeanors and certain felonies qualify for restricting and sealing. If you have been denied access to housing, employment, education or government benefits simply because of a mistake from your past please give us a call. We are excited to help you!
15 Years of Experience
With over fifteen years of courtroom experience.
Defining Success
The hallmark of our practice is client communication.
Our Process
STEP 1 - Obtain The Record
The first thing we do is obtain a copy of your criminal record, there’s no better place to start but the beginning. Our team will analyze your record and let you know what can be erased.
STEP - 2 Analyze The Record
Many convictions, arrests, dismissals and “dead dockets” can be wiped away. Even though cases were “dismissed” or “nolle prossed” or “first offender” in court, the arrest and charges could still be showing up on your record.
STEP 3 - Clean The Record
Georgia Law now provides for felonies and misdemeanor convictions to be restricted and sealed (formerly known as expunged). There are several methods available depending on each person’s individual criminal history.
How Do I Clean My Georgia Criminal Record?
Here's What to Do Now
That’s a common question, and we are here to help you understand. The database of criminal records is called the “GCIC” and is maintained by Georgia Bureau of Investigations. That’s where any fingerprintable arrests and conviction records are housed.
STEP 1 Restriction
A Georgia criminal record is also available within of Georgia’s County Clerk’s Offices in which a person had a case(s). Private background companies typically use the clerk’s offices to pull your data along with the GCIC information.
STEP 2 Sealing
To make sure that neither the GCIC or the Clerk’s office is allowing access to your record, the arrests, convictions, dismissals, felonies and misdemeanors need to be RESTRICTED and SEALED. This used to be called “expungement”.
Even though access to your GCIC may have been restricted, private background check companies pull information from the court records. The court records need to be sealed, which is an additional step.
We Look At The Law Differently
What Our Client's Say
