Guidance on Wisconsin expungement eligibility and the steps required to seal court records after successful completion of a sentence.
Practice
Representation in direct appeals from criminal convictions in Wisconsin state courts, addressing trial errors, evidentiary issues, and constitutional violations.
Preparation and argument of petitions to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, seeking review of Court of Appeals decisions in criminal cases.
Challenges to a conviction filed after an unsuccessful direct appeal or after the timeline for a direct appeal has expired.
Motions seeking reduction or modification of criminal sentences based on new factors or changed circumstances.
Petitions for writ of habeas corpus in the Wisconsin Court of Appeals challenging ineffective assistance of appellate counsel in criminal cases.
Representation in direct appeals from federal criminal convictions and sentences in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Motions under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 challenging federal convictions and sentences based on constitutional violations, including ineffective assistance of counsel.
Federal habeas corpus petitions under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 challenging Wisconsin state convictions on federal constitutional grounds.
Preparation of petitions for writ of certiorari seeking United States Supreme Court review of state and federal criminal cases.
Defense of Wisconsin and federal child pornography charges, including CyberTipline investigations, digital forensics, and Fourth Amendment litigation.
National defense representation, consulting, and training in child pornography cases arising from the anonymous peer-to-peer network Freenet/Hyphanet.
Guidance on Wisconsin expungement eligibility and the steps required to seal court records after successful completion of a sentence.
Representation of victims of domestic abuse, stalking, and harassment in Wisconsin injunction proceedings on a case-by-case basis.
At the time of sentencing, a judge may order that court records related to a person's conviction be expunged, or removed, if the person meets certain eligibility requirements and successfully completes the sentence. An expungement does not reverse or set aside the conviction; instead, it removes and seals all records relating to the conviction from the court's record system.
A court can order expungement (with a few exceptions) only if all of the following criteria apply:
For Class H and Class I felonies, the person must not have a prior felony conviction and the offense cannot be defined as a violent offense, stalking, intentional or reckless child abuse, sexual assault, or concealing the death of a child.
Expungement is not automatic even if the court permits expungement at sentencing. Upon completion of the sentence, there are several steps the person must take to effectuate the expungement.
To discuss your case confidentially, contact Novreske Law Office.