While an arrest record or a criminal conviction can negatively impact anyone, if you are a student or if you are just beginning your career, your criminal record can especially limit the opportunities available to you in the future.
1. Financial Aid
If you have been convicted of a drug crime, even for minor drug possession, you are at risk of losing eligibility for federal financial aid. Given the high cost of undergraduate and/or graduate education, this could have disastrous consequences for those individuals that must rely on student loans to finance their education.
2. Higher Education
If you plan on pursuing an advanced degree, you may be focused on obtaining a high GPA, good test scores, and excellent recommendations. What you should be also be focusing on, however, is erasing your criminal arrest record. Almost all graduate school applications require you to disclose any arrests or convictions. Having a criminal record could mean that your spot in the class is given to another applicant.
3. Career Limitations
Many professional licenses, such as for doctors, lawyers, nurses, and plumbers, require that arrest records be disclosed to the licensing agency. Thus, having a criminal record can make it much harder or in certain cases impossible to enter those fields, especially if your offenses are drug or alcohol related.
4. Employment Consequences
Most states permit employers to ask job applicants about arrests and convictions. Having a criminal arrest record can make it much harder to secure a job, especially if you were charged with a felony offense. This is also true for federal positions requiring security clearances.
Why Expungement Matters
A criminal record doesn’t just stay in the past — it shows up in job applications, housing searches, loan approvals, and even volunteer opportunities. Even if your charges were dismissed or years old, they can still appear on background checks unless properly expunged.
But here’s the hidden problem: many expungements don’t actually work the way clients expect.
Our audits reveal that 25–30% of New Jersey agencies fail to update their databases, and private background check companies never get notified automatically. That’s why so many clients come to us saying:
“I thought my record was gone, but it’s still showing up.”
How NSLF Makes Expungements Work
At National Security Law Firm, led by Karen Howell, Esq., we make sure your expungement truly clears your record everywhere it matters:
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Government Database Verification — We confirm NJSP, FBI, courts, police, and probation remove your record.
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Private Background Check Notifications — Our proprietary system notifies companies like TruthFinder, Checkr, and Sterling.
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Lifetime Record Protection — If your record resurfaces in the future, we step in and remove it free of charge.
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Refund Guarantee — If denied for reasons outside your control, we refund your fee in full.
👉 Read why records still show up — and how we fix them.
Expedited Expungements
Normally, expungements in NJ take close to a year. But since April 2025, clients can request expedited NJSP processing if filed correctly. This option gives you the fastest legal path to a clean record.
👉 Learn how expedited expungements work.
Flat, Transparent Pricing
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$1,500 for your primary offense
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+$200 for each additional offense
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+$1,800 (in addition to the standard fee) for early expungements or drug distribution cases
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+$2,500 (in addition to the standard fee) for expedited filings
👉 See our complete pricing guide.
Affordable Payment Plans
Through Affirm financing, you can:
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Spread payments over 3, 6, 12, or 24 months
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Check eligibility without affecting your credit score
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Example: $1,500 expungement = about $65/month
Our Refund Guarantee
If your expungement is denied for reasons outside your control, we refund your fee. ⚠️ Guarantee excludes denials caused by nondisclosure of your full criminal history.
Why Clients Choose NSLF
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More expungements than any other firm in New Jersey
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Proprietary process to fix government and private database errors
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Lifetime record removal support
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Flat pricing + payment plans
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Refund guarantee = risk-free
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Every case handled personally by Karen Howell, Esq.
👉 Visit our Expungement Resource Hub for FAQs, guides, and eligibility charts.
We’re Trusted With More Expungements in New Jersey Than Any Other Law Firm.
Take Control of Your Future Today
Your criminal record doesn’t have to hold you back another day. The sooner you act, the sooner your background checks come back clean.
👉 Book your free consultation now.
✔ Quick.
✔ Easy.
✔ Risk-Free.
Hear From Our Clients
We’re proud to be one of the most highly rated expungement firms in New Jersey.
👉 Read our verified 5-star Google Reviews.
⚡ At NSLF, we don’t just file expungements. We erase your record everywhere it matters — for life.
