Often, yes. First-offense misdemeanors in Rhode Island are generally eligible for expungement five years after completion of the sentence, assuming no intervening convictions. Cases that resolve through filing or diversion may be eligible sooner, and cases that resolve with a dismissal or not-guilty finding can frequently be sealed quickly. Expungement removes the record from public background checks, though law enforcement and certain government agencies retain access. For non-citizens, expungement does not erase the conviction for federal immigration purposes - which is another reason to fight for a disposition that avoids a conviction in the first place rather than relying on later expungement to clean things up.