EXPUNCTIONS
GEORGETOWN EXPUNCTION ATTORNEY
FIND THE RIGHT EXPUNCTION LAWYER TO CLEAR YOUR CRIMINAL RECORD IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY
Having a criminal conviction on your record can negatively affect many aspects of your life throughout your future. Your criminal record is public.
You can find it in background checks. This record can hurt your job chances, credit applications, housing applications, and professional licenses. Even if you have not faced a conviction for a crime, someone can still access your arrest or charge records. Potential employers, landlords, and other law enforcement can access this information.
One option for clearing your criminal record in Texas is through an expunction. If you live in Williamson County and want to know if you qualify for this option, please contact me.
I am a Georgetown criminal defense attorney experienced in expunctions. I handle many types of cases, including traffic tickets.
Reach out as soon as you can. I provide a free consultation. You can talk to me about your situation and get the legal advice you need.
If your situation doesn’t meet the eligibility criteria for a full expunction, you may still have options — an order of non-disclosure can seal your record from public view even when an expunction isn’t available.
HOW AN EXPUNCTION WORKS
Under Texas law, an expunction may be permitted in certain circumstances. It involves removing information concerning an arrest from a criminal record. Once you remove the information from your record, you can deny that the arrest happened. All details about it are deleted forever.
You may qualify for an expunction if an arrest occurred but no charges were filed against you. You can also qualify if your charges were dismissed. Additionally, if you were acquitted, pardoned, or a victim of identity theft, you may be eligible.
Expunctions are sought through a petition to the court. A hearing is then scheduled by the court to determine whether an expunction order may be granted.
Those who are not eligible for an expunction may be eligible for an order of non-disclosure. To learn how an expunction may affect your criminal record, please talk to me about your case details.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR CRIMINAL RECORD EXPUNGEMENT
This process usually begins with filing a petition or motion with the court. Then, at a subsequent hearing, the court will decide whether or not your record should be expunged.
A criminal defense attorney will help you at the court hearing. During this time, evidence and testimonies will be presented. This will help decide the outcome of your case.
Texas can be especially strict when it comes to the criteria required for eligibility for expungement. There are very specific circumstances that allow for petitioning for an expunction. For instance, you may be eligible to have your record expunged if you:
● Were arrested but technically had no criminal charges filed
● Were found not guilty
● Had a case dismissed in court
● Had a conviction overturned by the Court of Criminal Appeals
● Know that a different person was arrested under your name
● Were pardoned by the Governor of Texas or the President
● Fully completed a pre-trial program
These are some of the circumstances in which you could likely get your record expunged. There will of course be other criteria and evidence that will be considered by the court, and you could possibly be denied an expunction if you don’t meet this criteria prior to the hearing.
If you do qualify and meet these requirements, however, you may be approved and your record will be expunged in court. This means that you will be able to deny ever having been arrested once it is cleared from your record.
It’s reasonable that you would like a potentially damaging record to be wiped clean as quickly as possible. However, once you’ve begun the expunction process, you’ll need to wait anywhere between 60-90 days for your record to start to clear up for the purpose of background checks.
Records can be sealed fairly quickly, but they can take much longer to be fully destroyed, and many private institutions update their records infrequently. Because of this, it’s best to get the process going as quickly as possible after the arrest happens.
Having something damaging on your record can hinder employment, housing, applying for loans, and more. Once you have an experienced lawyer working on your case, however, you can get the expunction process going and work your way towards a clean record once again.
If you believe your specific circumstances may mean you’re eligible to have your criminal record expunged, it’s absolutely worth looking into contacting a Georgetown or Austin expunction lawyer and having them review your case. You’ll want an experienced, knowledgeable attorney on your side who knows the specific Texas requirements and process.
When your rights are at risk and you have the possibility of a crime permanently on your record, it’s crucial to examine the circumstances surrounding the arrest. Once you’ve begun the process of expunging your record, you and your lawyer can work on securing a second chance and restoring justice. Once an arrest is wiped from your record, you can go back to your normal life and worry less about bureaucratic and judgemental consequences.