The defendant, Armando Guillen, was charged by a complaint with three offenses:  felony possession of methamphetamine( Health & Saf.Code, § 11377, subd. (a)), felony sale or transportation of methamphetamine Health & Saf.Code, § 11379, subd. (a)), ), and misdemeanor driving while his license was suspended for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (Veh.Code, § 14601.2, subd. (a)).

The defendant was referred to drug court under Proposition 36 . Eventually, the defendant successfully completed his court-ordered drug treatment program, and the court terminated probation early. He was granted a Penal Code 1203.4 dismissal , also known as an expungement See (http://www.bayarea-attorney.com/PracticeAreas/Expungements.asp.), which allows for the defendant to clear his record so that when  applying for a job there is no need to declare that he has been previously convicted of a criminal offense.  There is debate over the ways in which the defendant can receive Penal Code section 1203.4 relief and the consequences of it. It is required that, if the defendant successfully completes all conditions of probation or if the court terminates probation early, Penal Code section 1203.4 relief must be granted.

In the case of Guillen, the court provided further clarification of what an expungement does: “[E]xpungement of the conviction…[is] a substantial benefit, and restores the probationer in most respects to preconviction status.  The relief takes the form, in part, of dismissal of the charge, and the probationer is, for most purposes, thereafter restored to his or her former (preconviction) status in society.  (People v. Field, supra, 31 Cal.App.4th at p. 1787.)   The dismissal of the accusations and information functions, with a few exceptions, as a removal of the blemish of a criminal record.  (People v. Johnson, supra, 134 Cal.App.2d at p. 143.)   Consonant with the legislative intent to “remove the blemish of a criminal record,” not only is the charge dismissed, but the successful probationer is expressly released from all, except a specified few, consequences attendant on the conviction…”

Penal Code section 1203.4 is in certain circumstances within the discretion of the court and is only granted if the interests of justice support a dismissal. Some restrictions on a defendant still exist under 1203.4, but the Court of Appeal in this case says that most “penalties and disabilities” terminate upon a 1203.4 dismissal, including payment of restitution fines. For more information on expungements, see http://www.bayarea-attorney.com/PracticeAreas/Expungements.asp.

For more information on this case: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/ca-court-of-appeal/1641380.html