What to do if I am trying to go into nursing school and have a gross misdemeanor on my record?

Hello. The situation you describe is quite common.  A criminal conviction often has serious negative ‘collateral consequences’ in one’s life, including affecting a person’s ability to find suitable housing or the ability to work in certain fields (for example, to work with ‘vulnerable’ adults or children, to work as a certified nursing assistant or even to obtain certain training and internship work needed to become a chemical dependency counselor).  

Multiple important appeals court rulings have been decided quite recently. The process itself of seeking an expungement is complex.  A few of the major concerns that a judge will evaluate in deciding an expungement case are whether you have been disadvantaged by your criminal record, whether public safety would likely be adversely affected (should the judge grant the expungement), and whether you have rehabilitated yourself over time. Definitely I recommend that you confer privately with an experienced attorney who works in the area of criminal law regarding your issues and needs and desires. Know that there are ways to have attorney counsel and guidance abd assistance while lessening and minimizing legal costs.  I suggest that you phone several attorneys in choosing, because you want to feel a sense of great trust with the lawyer helping you in this matter.  All the best to you.