Q: I have an Expungement in Westmoreland County after completing ARD. I received the Petition for Expungement form 790 from the Westmoreland County Clerk of Courts, as they have been helpful in guiding me in filling it out. The one area of the forms says list the reasons for the expungement. What are they looking for? My personal reasons as to how it will improve my job search? My chances with the ladies? Ease of obtaining a job where background checks are performed? Should I just list them or shall I put it in letter form? (Plum Borough, PA)

A:  I feel bad that you are doing an expungement on your own. It is not cardiac surgery, but, at least in Allegheny County, the forms are burdensome. Anyway, I usually just put down something like because the petitioner was adjudicated not guilty, or the charges were withdrawn or dismissed. You are entitled to an expungement when your charges are dismissed or withdrawn or you are found not guilty and have no criminal history. You really don’t need to explain yourself.