Engagement Agreement

1. Who We Are

ConvictionRemoval.com is a service of Spindler Law, an Indiana law firm. Jason M. Spindler is the licensed Indiana attorney responsible for the legal services provided through this agreement. Our office is located at 112 N. Main Street, Princeton, Indiana 47670, and you may reach us at jason@spindlerlaw.com.

2. What You Are Hiring Us To Do

You are hiring us to perform a limited-scope representation under Indiana Rule of Professional Conduct 1.2(c) and Indiana Trial Rule 3.1(H). Specifically, we will:

• Review the information you provide through our intake questionnaire;
• Conduct a 30-minute Zoom consultation with you (recorded; transcript delivered to you within 24 hours);
• Determine the appropriate Indiana statutory section(s) under which to file (IC 35-38-9-1 through 35-38-9-5);
• Draft and verify a Petition for Expungement on your behalf;
• Draft a Proposed Order for the court;
• File the Petition and Proposed Order with the appropriate Indiana court(s) using e-filing;
• Provide you with file-stamped copies of all filed documents;
• Notify you when the court rules on the petition (whether on the papers or by setting a hearing).

3. What We Will NOT Do — Read Carefully

This is a strictly limited engagement. The following services are NOT included, and we will NOT perform them:

• Attendance at any hearing, conference, status, or other court appearance — under any circumstances;
• Substantive negotiation with the prosecutor (e.g., bargaining over consent for IC 35-38-9-5 petitions);
• Response to any motion, objection, or pleading filed by the prosecutor or any other party after the petition is filed;
• Any appeal or post-judgment motion;
• Investigation of facts beyond what you provide and what is available in court records we routinely access;
• Verification of the accuracy of your criminal history beyond what you provide;
• Representation in any related matter (civil suits, immigration consequences, employment issues, etc.);
• Ongoing legal advice after the engagement terminates under Section 4.

4. When This Representation Ends — Automatic Termination

This representation ends, automatically and without further notice, upon the FIRST of the following to occur:

• The court rules on your petition without setting a hearing (for example, grants the petition on the papers or denies it without hearing);
• The court sets a hearing on your petition. If a hearing is set, our representation ends as of the date the hearing notice is filed. We will notify you of the hearing setting and provide you with file-stamped copies of the hearing notice and your petition. After that point, you are responsible for the hearing — either by appearing yourself or by hiring different counsel;
• The prosecutor files an objection or response that requires substantive reply (we will notify you and the engagement ends);
• Six (6) months pass from the date of filing with no court action (we may terminate by written notice);
• You discharge us in writing.

After termination, you remain responsible for all further proceedings. We will not file any further documents, attend any hearing, or communicate with the prosecutor or court on your behalf, regardless of the reason or urgency.

5. What Happens If a Hearing Is Set

In our experience, most Indiana expungement petitions for misdemeanors and Level 6 / Class D felonies (under IC 35-38-9-2, -3, and -4) are decided on the papers without a hearing. However, a court may set a hearing for any reason, including (a) the prosecutor objects, (b) the petition involves IC 35-38-9-5 (high felonies requiring prosecutor consent), (c) the court has questions, or (d) local practice in your county.

If a hearing is set, you have these options:

• Appear at the hearing pro se (representing yourself), using the petition we prepared and any other documents we filed;
• Hire a different attorney to represent you at the hearing;
• Withdraw your petition and refile later (this generally requires re-paying the filing fee).

We will not represent you at the hearing. We will not refer you to specific other attorneys, but you may search the Indiana State Bar Association referral service or contact local attorneys directly.

6. Cases We Will Not Take Under This Tier

We will not accept this engagement for cases that we anticipate will require a hearing. Specifically, we may decline or refund this engagement if:

• Your petition involves IC 35-38-9-5 (serious felonies requiring prosecutor consent), unless we determine in our sole discretion that prosecutor consent is likely;
• There is a known prosecutor objection or active dispute regarding eligibility;
• You have indicated an intention to contest a denial or seek a hearing;
• The case involves circumstances that, in our judgment, make a hearing likely.

If we decline the engagement after you have paid, we will refund the fee in full within 7 business days.

7. Fees and Refunds

The fee is $1,299.00, paid in full at the time you accept this agreement. The fee covers all services described in Section 2. The fee is non-refundable once we have begun substantial work (defined as: the Zoom consultation has occurred OR the petition has been drafted), except as provided in Section 6 above or where required by Indiana Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5.

If a hearing is set and our representation ends under Section 4, no portion of the fee is refundable. The work we performed (preparation, filing, drafting the proposed order) was completed regardless of the hearing outcome.

Full refund mechanics are set out in our Refund Policy.

8. Court Filing Fees Are Separate

Indiana courts charge filing fees for expungement petitions, typically $156-$166 per petition. These court fees are NOT included in our fee. You will pay them directly to the court at the time of filing, or we will pay them on your behalf and bill you for reimbursement.

9. Confidentiality and Privilege

Information you provide is confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege. We will not share it with anyone outside our firm except (a) as required to file your petition with the court, (b) as required by law, or (c) as you authorize.

10. No Guarantee of Outcome

We do not guarantee that your petition will be granted. We do not guarantee that the prosecutor will not object. We do not guarantee any particular timeline. The court has discretion. Our work is based on our professional judgment, but the outcome is not within our control.

11. The Zoom Consultation

The 30-minute Zoom consultation is recorded with your consent (you will be asked to consent at the start of the recording). The transcript is delivered to you by email within 24 hours of the consultation. The recording is retained in our secure systems and is subject to the same confidentiality and privilege as written communications.

12. How to Accept This Agreement

You accept this agreement by clicking "I Agree" on the checkout page and submitting payment. Your electronic acceptance has the same legal effect as a signature.

You acknowledge that you have read this agreement in full, understand the limits of the representation (especially the no-hearing provisions in Sections 3, 4, and 5), and have had the opportunity to ask questions before accepting.

13. Indiana Law Governs

This agreement is governed by Indiana law. Any disputes arising from this agreement will be resolved in courts located in Gibson County, Indiana.

14. Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct

This is a limited-scope engagement permitted by Indiana Rule of Professional Conduct 1.2(c) and Indiana Trial Rule 3.1(H). The limited scope is reasonable under the circumstances because: (a) the work to be performed (drafting and filing) is fully described in Section 2; (b) the work to be excluded (hearing attendance) is fully described in Sections 3 and 4; (c) you are informed of the consequence (you handle the hearing yourself or hire other counsel); and (d) you have an opportunity to consider this disclosure before accepting.