The answer is no, but it is generally possible to get a pardon case expunged by filing a petition in the county where your criminal case occurred. The chief judge of that county, however, has full discretion over whether to grant your request.
In some counties expungements for pardoned offenses are reliably granted. However, all judges retain the right to grant or deny a petition to expunge a past criminal offense. For example, a judge may decide that a case was too severe to deserve a fully cleaned slate. Instead, the judge might order that your case be sealed. If so, your conviction would still be off-limits to virtually all non-government entities other than the police.
Generally, expungements for relatively minor drug offenses and financial crimes are easier to get than those for more serious or violent felonies. That said, there is still a chance that a pardon will enable you to get past your criminal record.
If you have questions about a pardon or executive clemency, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.
(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)
