Burglary convictions in Rhode Island are generally NOT eligible for expungement. Burglary is classified as a crime of violence under Rhode Island law (because of the inherent threat to occupants of buildings entered unlawfully), and crimes of violence are categorically excluded from the expungement framework. The Attorney General would object to any expungement petition for a burglary conviction, and the petition would almost certainly be denied. The only paths to clearing a burglary from your record are dismissal before conviction, acquittal at trial, or executive clemency through the Governor. This is one of the most important reasons to fight a burglary charge aggressively at trial rather than accepting a plea.
