How Can I Clear My Criminal Record in Texas?

 Posted on May 27, 2022 in Criminal Defense

Having a criminal record can affect nearly every aspect of a person's life. Finding a job or apartment may be difficult or nearly impossible with criminal charges on your record. It can also be embarrassing for details of an arrest or other legal matter to be publicly available for friends, family, or neighbors to see.

If you have a criminal record, you may be interested in expunging or erasing your record. Texas law does allow for expunction and orders of nondisclosure. However, record clearing is only in certain situations. Read on to learn more.

Expunging Your Record in Texas

Being arrested for a crime is not the same as being convicted or found guilty of a crime. However, many people are shocked when they realize that merely being arrested for something results in a criminal record – even if the charges were dropped or the person was found not guilty. Fortunately, people in this situation may be able to get their arrest records expunged.

Expunction or expungement is the process of completely erasing a record of an arrest. Once a record has been expunged, it does not show up on a background check. Friends, family, landlords, and employers cannot view the record. Essentially, it is as if the arrest and prosecution never happened.

Expungement is available for offenses that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• The person was acquitted of the crime he or she was charged with
• The person was convicted but later declared innocent or pardoned
• The charges were dismissed
• The person was arrested but not charged with the offense

Order of Nondisclosure

If you are not eligible for expungement, do not panic. You may still be able to clear your name through an order of nondisclosure. An order of nondisclosure is sometimes referred to as sealing a criminal record because it limits the parties that can view a record. Unlike expunged records which are completely destroyed, sealed records still exist but they are much harder for people to access. Most employers and landlords cannot see a record that has been sealed.

An order of nondisclosure may be available if you:

• Pled guilty or no contest to a crime AND
• Completed deferred adjudication community supervision

Some offenses are not eligible for an order of nondisclosure, including offenses that require the person to register as a sex offender.

Contact a Collin County Expungement Lawyer

If you want to clear your name and protect your reputation, contact Law Offices of Biederman & Burleson P.L.L.C. to discuss your expungement options. If you do not qualify for expungement, you may qualify for an order of nondisclosure. Call our Frisco criminal defense attorneys at 469-333-3333 for a free consultation.

Source:

https://guides.sll.texas.gov/expunctions-and-non-disclosure