On January 11, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled a man pardoned by Gov. Christie could have offenses expunged from his criminal record, a rule that could potentially restore rights to a significant number of New Jersey citizens.
Another state has been convinced that pardons should lead to expungement, even for individuals with multiple convictions. On January 11, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled a man pardoned by Gov. Christie could have offenses expunged from his criminal record, a rule that could potentially restore rights to a significant number of New Jersey citizens.
The man, Tommy Odom, had two previous convictions, one from 1994 and another from 1997. After Odom was pardoned in 2018, he attempted to have his convictions expunged from his record. The state initially denied his requests due to his previous convictions, initiating a discussion regarding a person's right to expungement. Many states already agree that a pardon should guarantee expungement eligibility, because if the whole intention of a pardon is to restore an individual's civil rights, a pardon without expungement is nothing more than an empty promise.
By the time Odom was pardoned, his convictions were over twenty years old. A mistake from twenty years ago should not prevent a person from pursuing a better life. Everyone deserves to move forward. By refusing to expunge deserving citizens, we are stripping away individual freedoms, which is what our nation's founders wanted to avoid. Fortunately, the New Jersey Supreme Court came around to Odom's request and ruled that he was eligible for expungement, regardless of his previous convictions, symbolizing a huge step for the state of New Jersey.
Free yourself from the shackles of a past mistake. At Easy Expunctions, we can wipe your record clean at an affordable price. For more information regarding a hassle free record-clearing process, visit our website at EasyExpunctions.com or give us a call at (877) 784-0213.