California Law allows
you to clear your criminal conviction by withdrawing your plea and
having the case dismissed, under most circumstances.
This means you can answer "No"
to a question regarding convictions under many circumstances.
The Expungement law is
somewhat complex in certain areas, but expungement of a record is
something that SHOULD be done by anyone with even a minor
history of arrest or conviction.
Contrary to popular belief, records
are not "sealed" automatically with the passage of time, but require
the filing of a Petition in Court.
A successful Petition
can:
Expunge a
criminal conviction by a withdrawal of plea and dismissal of the
case;