Sealing Records & Probation

Sealing Criminal Records & Early Termination of Probation 

In Arkansas, certain offenses can be expunged from your record at different times and under different circumstances. Likewise, there are many reasons we can successfully petition to have your probation terminated early.  We discuss with each caller the facts and likelihood of success before accepting a case to Seal criminal convictions or to Terminate Probation. Call Lion Legal Services to help you seal your criminal records or discuss Early Termination of your Probation.  

Probation Revocation 

There are many reasons your probation can be revoked – alleged to have committed a new crime, not paying fines and costs, not checking in with probation, failing drug tests, not working or going to school or violating any other term of your probation. Unlike criminal charges, the standard that the Court uses to determine if a Defendant has or has not violated his or her probation is a “Preponderance of the Evidence” standard – a much lower standard than the original “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt” standard that the State must meet in order to obtain a conviction of anyone accused of committing any crime. 

How Much do Sealing and Probation Matters Cost?  

Petitions to Seal or Expunge or for Early Termination of Probation are more similar to civil matters than criminal because we are not “defending” allegations by the State; instead, we are asking for something such as sealing a conviction or early termination of Probation. In that sense, we cannot predict with a high degree of accuracy objections or issues that may arise before we start working. Some Petitions to Seal and/or Petitions to Terminate may take substantially more work and time than others, so we bill on an hourly retainer basis. It’s not fair or reasonable to have one set fee for every client because each client’s matter is different. Petitions to Terminate Probation and to Seal start with a $1000 retainer and are billed hourly, just as we bill for other non-criminal legal matters. 

Representing defendants against the State attempting to Revoke their Probation is billed on a flat fee basis, just as we charge for criminal defense matters.  Our fees for defending Probation Revocations start at $2000 and go up depending on the underlying conviction and the specific violations of Probation alleged by the State. A total will be determined before you hire us.