Justia Lawyer Rating
10 Best, Attorney Client Satisfaction Badge from the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys
Top 100 Trial Lawyers Badge from The National Trial Lawyers
Top 100 Badge from America's Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys
NADC
Avoo Rating, 10.0 Scott Grabel
Top 10, Attorney and Practice Magazine's, Criminal Defense Law Firm

Life After A Conviction

A criminal conviction has far-reaching impacts on your life. In addition to serving a sentence in prison or probation, there is now a conviction on your record. This can limit your ability to own a firearm, sit on a jury, and vote, amongst other things. Most importantly, a criminal conviction can severely damage your ability to get a job after being released from prison. This is particularly unfortunate for those who are first-time offenders who had a temporary lapse in judgment.

Certain options are available to first-time offenders early in the criminal justice process. For certain non-violent crimes, many states, including Michigan, have a pre-trial diversion program for first-time offenders where the defendant pleads guilty and serves what is essentially probation, but following the probationary period the charges are dismissed from the defendant’s record. Programs to divert youths under the age of 21 from incarceration and for first-time drug offenders resulting in probation and a dismissal of charges after probation also exist.

Following a conviction, an individual has few options. If you only have one conviction, after five years you may apply to expunge the conviction from your criminal record. Depending on the state you are in, certain minor crimes may be expunged earlier. Expunging a case from your record means that regular law enforcement and the general public cannot learn of your past conviction.

You should approach your job search in a practical way after a conviction. Look first with family, friends and other contacts for job opportunities. Work to build up a track record of steady employment, and do not expect that the first job out of prison will be a very desirable position. Explore your options with employment services agencies, and target jobs that are less likely to be concerned with the nature of your previous conviction.

An experienced Michigan criminal defense attorney can help you take steps to improve your likelihood of employment and to clean up your criminal record. At Grabel & Associates, we have helped individuals explore their options following a conviction for over 13 years. Call us today for a free confidential consultation at (800) 342-7896.

Client Reviews

★★★★★
If you are reading these reviews you are about to make a decision that will have a large impact on the rest of your life. I choose Grabel and Associates to represent me in my case and I could not have been more satisfied with the level of professionalism and dedication to their clients. I had the opportunity to meet and work with multiple lawyers in the practice all of which showcased a vast knowledge and understanding of the inner workings of the legal system. When you choose Scott Grabel to represent you will open yourself up to all of his resources. Depending on your case Grabel knows experts in all fields. I worked with polygraph examiners, investigators, and forensics experts. Grabel and Associates will defend without prejudice of innocence or guilt. Scott Grabel was able to lead me through every step of the process with great communication the whole way. I would recommend Scott Grabel and Associates to my friends, family and anyone who is in need of representation. B. A.
★★★★★
Best attorney in state of Michigan. Caring and a true friend. Scott was with us every step of the way. He fought for a great injustice for our son and was able to provide an outcome that gave his life back. L. A.
★★★★★
Scott and his firm did an awesome job representing a family member of mine, I would highly recommend him and his firm! They were extremely reliable, trustworthy and very informative and did a great job with the case. I couldn't be happier with the results that we received, I can't speak highly enough about the great job he did. If you are thinking about using his firm, I would highly recommend, I would definitely use his firm again if needed, he is an a great attorney with a great firm, you won't be disappointed! M. F.