Best Michigan Expungement Resource for Multiple Convictions

If you have multiple convictions on your Michigan record and you're trying to figure out the best way to get them cleared, the answer depends on three things: how many convictions you have, whether they're spread across multiple counties, and whether any of them are assaultive or sex-related offenses. For most people with two to four convictions across one or two counties — all non-assaultive — a structured process guide will handle the eligibility math, petition sequencing, and background check cleanup for a fraction of what an attorney charges. Once you cross into five-plus convictions, contested felonies, or three or more counties, legal representation starts to justify its cost.

Why Multiple Convictions Make Expungement Harder

Michigan's expungement law (MCL 780.621) sets lifetime limits: you can petition to set aside up to three felony convictions and an unlimited number of misdemeanors. But the eligibility calculation isn't as simple as counting convictions. Several rules interact in ways that trip up people with complex records:

The conviction-counting rules:

• The "One Bad Night" rule can count multiple convictions arising from a single transaction within a continuous 24-hour period as one conviction, subject to exclusions for assaultive crimes, crimes involving the use or possession of a dangerous weapon, and offenses with a maximum penalty of 10 or more years

The waiting period trap:

• Eligible misdemeanors other than serious misdemeanors, first-offense OWI, or assaultive crimes: 3 years after the latest of sentence imposition, probation completion, or imprisonment completion
• Serious misdemeanors: 5 years from the latest applicable triggering event
• Single felony: 5 years after the latest applicable sentencing, probation or parole discharge, or release from incarceration
• Multiple felonies: 7 years from the latest triggering event across the convictions being petitioned
• For a petition, calculate from the latest applicable sentence, probation discharge, parole discharge, or imprisonment completion across the convictions. Restitution remains due after a set-aside; an unpaid balance alone does not bar a petition.

The intervening conviction block:

• For automatic sealing, a new criminal conviction recorded in the MSP database during the wait blocks eligible felonies and eligible misdemeanors punishable by 93 days or more; a pending charge in that database also blocks set-aside while pending. These conditions do not apply to misdemeanors punishable by 92 days or less. For a petition, the court cannot enter an order while criminal charges are pending or if the applicant was convicted of any criminal offense during the applicable wait.
• An estimated 450,000 Michiganders are locked out of automatic relief because of this rule

This is the specific complexity that makes multiple-conviction expungement different from the single-conviction process. Getting the count wrong — or missing a bundling opportunity — means filing a petition that gets denied or failing to file one you're eligible for.

Comparing Your Options

The Process Guide Approach (2–4 Convictions, 1–2 Counties)

For someone with a moderate multi-conviction record, a structured guide offers the most value per dollar spent. The Michigan Expungement & Record Sealing Guide is specifically built for this scenario — people whose records are too complex for a simple form-fill but don't justify $5,000+ in attorney fees.

What the guide covers for multiple convictions:

• Eligibility worksheet: Walks through the conviction-counting rules, identifies bundling opportunities under the One Bad Night rule, calculates waiting periods across concurrent sentences, and flags intervening convictions that might block eligibility
• Strategic sequencing: When you have convictions in multiple courts, the filing order may depend on the lifetime limits and each court's procedures. The guide maps this sequencing
• Multi-county filing coordination: Each convicting court requires a separate application. Each standard MC 227 petition includes the $50 MSP background-check processing fee, plus local fingerprinting and record-copy costs, and service on the MSP, Attorney General, and prosecuting official. The separate MC 227a marijuana process has no filing fee. The guide provides a tracking system so nothing falls through the cracks
• Background check cleanup: After multiple set-asides, the chance that private screening companies still show one or more convictions is higher. The FCRA dispute kit covers simultaneous disputes across databases

When Free Resources Work for Multiple Convictions

Free resources handle multiple convictions well in specific circumstances:

• All convictions are in the same county, so there's no coordination needed
• You qualify for legal aid and there's an active clinic in your area (Project Clean Slate in Detroit, Oakland County's program, Lakeshore Legal Aid)
• Your convictions are straightforward misdemeanors with no eligibility edge cases
• You're comfortable using Michigan Legal Help to generate petitions one at a time and filing sequentially

The main limitation: free resources don't help you think strategically about the order and timing of multiple filings. They process each petition individually, which is fine when the order doesn't matter but can create problems when it does.

When You Need an Attorney

An attorney justifies the cost for multiple convictions when:

• You have five or more total convictions: The eligibility math gets genuinely complex, and a miscalculation means a denied petition and generally a three-year bar on refiling the same conviction(s), unless the court specifies an earlier date
• Any conviction is assaultive or sex-related: These face higher scrutiny, and having representation at the hearing makes a material difference when the prosecutor objects
• Convictions are in three or more counties: Coordinating filings across three different court systems, each with their own scheduling, takes enough administrative bandwidth that professional management makes sense
• A prosecutor has objected to a prior petition: If you've been denied before or the prosecutor's office has signaled opposition, legal representation changes the hearing dynamic
• Immigration status is involved: Multiple convictions interact with federal immigration law in ways that require dual expertise — Michigan expungement and immigration law. A rehabilitative set-aside may not eliminate immigration consequences, which depend on the offense and case history.

Who This Is For

• People with 2–4 Michigan convictions who want to clear as many as possible without paying $5,000+ for an attorney
• Anyone with convictions in two counties who needs to coordinate the filings strategically
• People who've been told they "have too many convictions" for free help but whose records are actually within Michigan's statutory limits
• Anyone who wants to understand the conviction-counting rules before deciding whether to hire a lawyer or do it themselves

Who This Is NOT For

• People with a single conviction in one county — free resources through Michigan Legal Help or a local clinic will handle that case completely
• Anyone with pending charges cannot receive a petition-based set-aside order until the charges are resolved.
• People with five-plus convictions and assaultive offenses who need an attorney's judgment on which petitions to prioritize
• Non-citizens, whose multiple convictions may trigger immigration consequences that require specialized legal advice beyond expungement

The Practical Sequence for Multi-Conviction Expungement

Regardless of which resource you use, the process follows this order:

1. Pull your complete record — ICHAT name search ($10) and, if needed, the MSP fingerprint-based Personal Records Check ($30). You need the full picture before you can count convictions correctly.
2. Map every conviction — charging document, county, disposition date, sentence completion date, restitution status. This is where the eligibility worksheet earns its keep.
3. Apply the counting rules — identify qualifying One Bad Night bundles and check for intervening convictions that block automatic sealing.
4. Plan the filing order — if multiple counties, decide which petition goes first based on strategic impact.
5. File, serve, attend — each standard MC 227 petition requires its own application, fingerprint card, notary, $50 MSP processing fee, and service on the MSP, Attorney General, and prosecuting official. The separate MC 227a marijuana process has no filing fee and uses different instructions.
6. Dispute background checks — after each set-aside is granted, send FCRA dispute letters to screening companies. Don't wait until all petitions are resolved; start disputes as each order comes in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get all my Michigan convictions expunged at once?

Convictions handled by different courts require separate application packages filed with each court. The research does not establish whether separate cases in the same court can be combined or whether separate petitions can be filed simultaneously; check each court's procedure.

Does the One Bad Night rule apply to my case?

It applies when multiple convictions arise from a single transaction within a continuous 24-hour period. The reports identify exclusions for assaultive crimes, crimes involving the use or possession of a dangerous weapon, and offenses carrying a maximum penalty of 10 or more years. Verify how the rule applies to your specific record before filing.

What happens if I'm denied on one petition — can I still file the others?

Yes, but a denial generally bars refiling the same conviction(s) for three years unless the court specifies an earlier date. Other petitions for different convictions aren't affected by the denial. This is why strategic sequencing matters — file the strongest case first.

How much does multi-county expungement cost total?

For each standard MC 227 petition, budget for the $50 MSP background-check processing fee, local fingerprinting, certified record-copy charges, and mailing costs. The separate MC 227a marijuana process has no filing fee. The $10 ICHAT search and $30 MSP Personal Records Check are separate record-verification options. Total costs depend on local charges and the number of petitions; the research reports attorney fees of $1,500 to $5,000 per petition.

Should I wait for Clean Slate to automatically seal my older convictions?

Check first — it may have already happened. For eligible felonies and eligible misdemeanors punishable by 93 days or more, a conviction recorded in the MSP database during the wait blocks automatic sealing; a pending charge in that database also blocks set-aside while pending. These conditions do not apply to misdemeanors punishable by 92 days or less. The guide's verification section shows you how to determine whether Clean Slate processed your record. If it didn't, a petition may be an option if you meet the separate petition requirements.

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