Expungement Lawyer in Quincy, Massachusetts
Sealing & Expungement Attorneys Serving Quincy & Weymouth
A criminal record doesn’t have to follow you forever. Massachusetts law offers two distinct remedies for old records: sealing and expungement. At Davis Law Group, our criminal defense attorneys help clients in Quincy and Weymouth determine which remedy applies to their situation and pursue the relief available to them under Massachusetts law.
If an old charge or conviction is affecting your employment, housing, or licensing opportunities, call Davis Law Group at (617) 752-6216 to review your options.
Sealing vs. Expungement in Massachusetts
These two remedies are often confused, but they work differently and carry different eligibility requirements. Knowing which one applies to your record matters before you file anything.
Criminal Record Sealing
Sealing restricts who can view your record, but the record itself continues to exist. Courts, law enforcement, and certain state agencies can still access a sealed record. For most job applications, housing, and licensing background checks, however, a sealed record returns a “no record” result. Sealing is available to a broader range of people than expungement.
Expungement
Expungement permanently destroys the record. It’s no longer accessible to any court, state, municipal, or county agency. After expungement, you can legally state you were never charged with or convicted of that offense. Far fewer records qualify for expungement than for sealing, because the eligibility requirements are significantly narrower.
Massachusetts Expungement Eligibility
There are two paths to expungement under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 276: time-based and non-time-based. Neither is automatic, and both require filing a petition.
Time-Based Expungement
To qualify, every offense must have occurred before your 21st birthday. You can have no more than two separate criminal cases on your record, with multiple charges from a single incident counted as one case. You must also have completed your sentence and waited at least three years for a misdemeanor or seven years for a felony. Offenses involving death or serious bodily injury, sex offenses, and certain other serious crimes are excluded entirely.
Non-Time-Based Expungement
This path applies regardless of age when a record resulted from false identification, identity fraud, an offense that is no longer a crime under Massachusetts law, or a documented error by law enforcement or the court. If your record exists because of someone else’s mistake or a change in the law, you may have a path to expungement without meeting the age and waiting-period requirements.
Determining which category fits your record, or whether sealing is the more realistic option, is where our attorneys can provide guidance.
Why Quincy Clients Work with Davis Law Group
Our founding attorneys have served the Quincy and South Shore community for decades. Attorney James H. Davis III has served as Quincy City Council President, and our attorneys are active in local bar associations, civic boards, and community organizations. That standing matters in a record-clearing matter because we know Quincy District Court and the process involved.
Our trial attorneys bring over 90 years of combined experience across the firm’s practice areas. When you come to us with a record question, we take time to understand your full situation before advising a direction. We return calls promptly, make time for real conversations, and remain available after a case concludes if new questions come up. We also tell clients honestly when a record can’t be cleared, rather than filing a petition that isn’t in their interest.
Start with a Conversation About Your Record
If you’re in Quincy, Massachusetts, or Weymouth, and an old charge is standing between you and a job, housing, or a fresh start, we can review your Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and explain your options clearly. We won’t push you toward a filing that doesn’t serve you.
Call Davis Law Group at (617) 752-6216 to schedule a consultation about sealing or expungement in Massachusetts.
Hear From Our Happy Clients
At Davis Law Group, your satisfaction is our priority! See for yourself what our clients have to say about working with us.
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"If you're unsure who to use, you found them."Excellent client support. Very helpful, generous, and knowledgeable. He took the time to listen to my concerns and offer his expert advice. If you're unsure who to use, you found them.- Deb
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"They will do everything within their power to get you the results you deserve."Highly recommend to anyone in need of legal help. Jay, Annie and the team are super friendly and helpful. I can personally guarantee, from experience, they will bend over backwards and do everything within their power to get you the results you deserve.- Jamie
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"Jay and his coworkers were extremely helpful and fought for us."Jay and his coworkers were extremely helpful and fought for us as clients. We are so happy with his practice and will most definitely be calling him again if need be!- Paige
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"I would hands down recommend contacting him."Jay was outstanding in his service and professionalism. He is a saint in my book.
He worked with me after hours and had no hesitation to put in the extra effort to review my documentation and my case in detail without charge. I would hands down recommend contacting him for legal matters.- Kelly -
"Jay and the firm have cared about my specific needs as a client."I have used the services of Davis Law Group a number of times during the past 20 years and found them to be an extremely professional and caring law firm. Specifically I have used them for real estate transactions and for estate planning, wills, and healthcare proxies, with Jay Davis and Maryanne McGonagle as my primary attorneys. Whereas some law firms use boiler plates and treat clients as transactions, Jay and the firm have cared about my specific needs as a client and customized to those needs. I highly recommend this firm.- Rob
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"I will definitely be using them again!"I had an all around great experience working with Ryan Medeiros and Davis Law Group. Highly recommend! Ryan was knowledgeable and accessible, and knew what it would take to get the job done. I will definitely be using them again!- Mark
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"They have always done right by us."Three generations of my family have trusted Davis Law Group with our legal needs and they have always done right by us. Since April I have been working non-stop with Mary Anne McGonagle and Jay Davis to navigate and probate an excruciatingly-complicated estate. Both Mary Anne and Jay have gone out of their way numerous times on my behalf and have vigorously protected my interests in the face of some fairly significant headwinds. I could not be more thankful for, and appreciative of, their attention and the care they have demonstrated for my family.- Bryan
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"What she did was truly above and beyond my expectation."I benefited a lot from a recent consultation with Mary Anne. She is very knowledgeable in the area of landlord-tenant law, but what expressed me the most is her ethics. Although it was a free consultation, she still took it very seriously and spent the time to read my files prior to the call. During the session, she made complex legal issues easy to understand, analyzed my case and offer very good advice. She also worked very hard and communicated with me even after her normal work hours. What she did was truly above and beyond my expectation.- Anonymous
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Why Choose Davis Law Group?
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Dedicated & Compassionate Legal HelpWith our firm, you get quality legal assistance on every step of your case.
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We Fight For Our ClientsAt Davis Law Group, you can expect your legal team to have your back at every step of the way.
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Decades of ExperienceOur law firm has been assisting clients in Massachusetts since 1994.
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Offering Virtual ConsultationsWith virtual consultations, it's easier than ever to get started.