How Can I Get My Criminal Record Expunged in San Diego County? — The Complete Step-by-Step Guide From a San Diego Expungement Attorney

TLDR: In San Diego County, most misdemeanor and many felony convictions can be expunged under California Penal Code § 1203.4 if you completed probation successfully. An expungement dismisses your conviction, allowing you to say you were not convicted on most job applications, housing applications, and professional licenses. Jason Ronis Law handles San Diego expungements at affordable rates with free consultations 24 hours a day at (619) 859-2002. You speak directly with the attorney — not a paralegal. Se Habla Español.

⚠️ YOUR CRIMINAL RECORD IS COSTING YOU JOBS, HOUSING, AND OPPORTUNITIES EVERY SINGLE DAY YOU WAIT.

An expungement can fix that — legally and permanently. The process is more affordable and faster than most people expect. The consultation is free.

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Who Qualifies for Criminal Record Expungement in San Diego County Under PC 1203.4

Not every conviction qualifies for expungement — but more do than most people realize. California Penal Code § 1203.4 is the primary expungement law, and here is exactly who it covers in San Diego County:

You qualify if:
You were convicted of a misdemeanor or felony in a California court (including San Diego Superior Court, South Bay Justice Center, or Vista Courthouse), you were granted and completed probation successfully — or your probation was terminated early by the court — and you are not currently charged with another offense, currently on probation, or currently serving a sentence for any other crime.

You qualify even if:
You violated probation at some point but ultimately completed it. The court evaluates the overall completion of probation, not a perfect record. Jason Ronis Law argues for expungement in these cases every day.

You do NOT qualify if:
You served time in California state prison for the conviction (a different petition may still be available under PC § 1203.41 or SB 731 — see below). Your offense is a serious sex crime requiring PC § 290 registration. Your conviction was for certain violent or serious felonies specifically excluded by statute.

For misdemeanors without probation — PC § 1203.4a:
If you were convicted of a misdemeanor and sentenced without probation — a straight fine or county jail sentence — California Penal Code § 1203.4a allows expungement after one year from the date of conviction, provided you have complied with all terms of your sentence and have no new pending charges.

What Criminal Record Expungement in San Diego County Actually Does — and What It Does Not Do

Understanding what expungement accomplishes — and what it does not — helps you make an informed decision.

What expungement under PC 1203.4 does:

Your conviction is withdrawn and replaced with a not guilty finding. The case is dismissed by the court. You can legally state on most private employer job applications that you have not been convicted of that crime. The conviction is less visible in commercial background check databases commonly used by employers.

What expungement does NOT do:

It does not make the conviction invisible to law enforcement — police and prosecutors can still see it. It does not automatically restore your firearm rights — that requires a separate petition. It does not seal the record completely — court records remain accessible to the public in many cases. It does not remove the conviction from record for government employment or positions requiring security clearance. It does not undo suspension or revocation of a professional license that was based on the conviction — though it helps with new license applications.

What California SB 731 Does That PC 1203.4 Doesn’t:

Senate Bill 731, effective July 1, 2023, created a new pathway specifically for felony convictions — allowing the sealing of most felony conviction records after completing all sentences and remaining conviction-free for four years. Unlike an expungement, a sealed record under SB 731 is not accessible to most employers, landlords, or licensing boards. Jason Ronis Law evaluates SB 731 eligibility for every expungement client.

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How the San Diego County Criminal Record Expungement Process Works — Step by Step

Step 1 — Free Case Evaluation With Jason Ronis Law
Call (619) 859-2002 or text for a free case evaluation. Jason Ronis reviews your conviction, the sentence imposed, your probation history, and any subsequent offenses to determine which expungement or record sealing pathway applies to your case.

Step 2 — Petition Preparation
Jason Ronis Law drafts the formal petition under PC § 1203.4 (or PC § 1203.4a, § 1203.41, or SB 731 depending on your case). The petition includes a declaration supporting your rehabilitation and the specific grounds for dismissal.

Step 3 — Filing at the Appropriate San Diego County Courthouse
The petition is filed at the courthouse where you were originally convicted:
San Diego Superior Court at 330 W. Broadway for most San Diego cases.
South Bay Justice Center at 500 Third Avenue, Chula Vista for National City and South Bay convictions.
Vista Courthouse at 325 S. Melrose Drive, Vista for North County convictions.

Step 4 — Court Hearing (or Clerk Approval)
For many straightforward expungement petitions, especially misdemeanors, the court may approve the expungement without a hearing. When a hearing is scheduled, Jason Ronis Law appears on your behalf — in most cases, you do not need to appear in court.

Step 5 — Order of Dismissal
The court enters an order dismissing the conviction under PC § 1203.4. Jason Ronis Law provides you with a certified copy of the dismissal order, which you can use when applying for jobs, housing, or professional licenses.

Step 6 — Updating Background Check Databases
After receiving the dismissal order, Jason Ronis Law advises on notifying the California Department of Justice, which updates your criminal history record. Commercial background check companies then update their records based on the DOJ database.

What California’s New Automatic Expungement Law Means for San Diego County Residents

California AB 1076, effective January 1, 2023, created a system of automatic expungement for eligible convictions — meaning the DOJ is supposed to identify and process certain qualifying cases without you having to file a petition.

The automatic process covers most misdemeanor convictions and certain lower-level felonies where the sentence has been completed and a waiting period has passed. The California DOJ sends automatic dismissal notifications when cases are processed.

However, many eligible San Diego County residents have not received automatic notifications — due to record-keeping issues, eligibility edge cases, or processing backlogs. Additionally, more serious cases, cases requiring judicial discretion, and records that need the broader SB 731 sealing (not just expungement) are not automatically processed.

Jason Ronis Law checks AB 1076 automatic expungement status for every client and pursues the petition pathway when automatic processing has not occurred or is not available.

For more on clearing your criminal record in San Diego visit our Get My Criminal Record Cleaned San Diego Attorney, San Diego County Fresh Start Program Clean Criminal Record Attorney, How to Clean Up Your Criminal Record in San Diego, Affordable Criminal Record Expungement Attorney San Diego, Facing Drug Charges in San Diego, How to Search for an Inmate or Arrest Record San Diego, and DUI Defense Attorney San Diego pages.

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🔴 YOUR CLEAN RECORD IS WAITING. THE CONSULTATION IS FREE. CALL OR TEXT NOW.

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