Documents and facts to review
Collect each judgment and sentence-completion document, including cases in other counties. Preserve information about cases heard together and earlier relief.
The next question
Ask whether the ordinary conviction provision or a special route applies. Do not replace the statutory offense analysis with a background report's label.
Keep the outcome and record together
Save the judgment, final disposition and any later order in the same case packet. A background report can help identify a problem, but it may not contain the documents needed to resolve it. Record unknown facts and ask for the missing material before relying on an eligibility conclusion.
A way to organize your review
Gather the facts behind the question
Read the diagram as text
- Court and case
- Identify the jurisdiction and case number.
- Disposition
- Find the final result for each charge.
- Sentence
- Collect the sentence terms and completion evidence.
- Later history
- Keep later orders and other relevant case records.
Common question
What should I verify before using a form?
Match the form to the court, case outcome and requested remedy. Use the issuing authority's current instructions for attachments, fees and filing procedure; a general guide cannot establish eligibility.
Official resources
Consult the issuing authority for current forms and local procedure.
- North Carolina Judicial Branch: expunctions and formswww.nccourts.gov