North Carolina Drug Crimes Legal Questions

NC law allows for nonviolent felonies to be expunged from your record after a period of 15 years has passed from the date of conviction.  In order to have your record expunged, you cannot have any other felony or misdemeanor convictions other than a traffic violation.  Because you were convicted in 2009 you are not eligible for an expungement at this time but will be eligible in 2024. ... Read More

It's probably a good idea to get a lawyer whether this is your first offense or not.  If it's your first offense, then there are ways that a lawyer may be able to get it dismissed by means of a 90-96 action or informal deferred prosecution agreement.  If it is your 2nd offense, then getting a lawyer may help reduce the sentence as well.  Either way, getting proper counsel from a lawyer is your best option.  ... Read More

I am unaware of the methods to seal a record, but there may be some methods available for juveniles, although I do not practice juvenile law. If you are an adult you can have your record expunged for any crime for which you were not convicted.  Many special rules apply to this process.  It's best to contact an attorney to help you with your paperwork.  ... Read More

Assuming this citation was a standard less than one-half ounce offense:  This charge will show up on a record check even if it is eventually dismissed.  If you aren't convicted, it would be wise to pursue an expungement after your case is resolved.  You may only expunge your record of offenses for which you were not convicted.  If this is your first offense, the judge must offer you the opportunity to participate in the 90-96 program.  90-96 is a program which allows for the dismissal of first offense drug charges that meet certain guidelines.  Also, the defendant must generally admit to the offense in court and attend drug classes.  If the defendant jumps through the hoops that the court sets, the case should be dismissed.  If the case is dismissed in this way, you would be eligible for an expungement.... Read More

The following response is intended for general information purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice. The best method of tracking down an attorney's contact information is through the North Carolina State Bar.  This link will take you straight to the North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Directory.  If you know any of the attorney's name, this would be the best method of tracking them down.  You may also contact the bar at (919) 828-4620.  Other general methods of tracking down the attorney's contact information would be through Google and lawyers.com.  If you do not know the attorney's name or contact information you may need to start at either the local Clerk's office for the county in which the original matter was handled or at the local Public Defender's office, if the case was handled by court-appointed counsel.  The following link is to the roster of North Carolina Public Defender's offices.  If it was not court-appointed, the following link will help you to find the contact information for the local Clerk's office.  Simply contact them and provide them with your son's name.  They should be able to track down the attorney that made an appearance on the case.... Read More