Original Case Details

As a former standout basketball player at Mater Dei High School in the 1980s, Nikki Tierney is no stranger to severe ups and downs in her life. Her difficult road with drugs started with an injury where she was prescribed painkillers and became addicted to them. Even through alcohol and drug abuse, she completed law school and became an attorney.

Her legal troubles started when she was on a visit with her four-year-old daughter at the beach. Tierney was reportedly drunk, ended up in the water, and needed to be rescued. This resulted in criminal charges for third-degree child endangerment, a felony. She pled guilty, lost her law license, custody of her kids, and entered drug court to help address her substance abuse issues. She successfully completed drug court in 2011 and later regained custody of her kids. Her life after has been a model of success, perseverance, and achievement. Her felony, however, remained on her record, along with the difficulties it brought in several areas of her life. Her advocacy over the last four years has led to the expansion of New Jersey expungement laws.

New Expungement Law Expansion

The crime of child endangerment can take on many forms, and Tierney's felony was not expungable under the old rules. The recent expansion of state expungement laws now allows recovering addicts who successfully complete drug court to seek expungement for child endangerment convictions that are nonviolent and nonsexual. Drug court graduates must wait ten years before they are eligible to seek expungement of a child endangerment conviction. While the original proposal was to allow expungements of these convictions once two years have passed, the new law is still considered a big step in the right direction. The bill was just signed by Governor Phil Murphy and gained strong bipartisan support in the New Jersey legislature.

How Does This Affect You?

If you are a drug court graduate that has a child endangerment conviction, then this can apply to you directly. It is important to understand what types of crimes are eligible for expungement and if your case qualifies. New Jersey expungement law has expanded in several ways in the last couple of years, allowing a significant number of people to become eligible to clear their public criminal records. Call us today to find out about your eligibility.

Why Hiring the Lento Law Firm is the Right Choice

If you're curious about your ability to receive an expungement, then it is important to speak to an experienced attorney immediately. Attorney Joseph D. Lento has helped countless people across New Jersey clear their criminal records. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 to learn why hiring Attorney Lento and his expert team are the right choice for you.