Clean Your Criminal Record

If you have dismissed criminal charges, a completed pre-trial diversion, or a completed deferred adjudication, you may be eligible to clean up your criminal record. Learn more about expunging and sealing your record or set up a free consultation to determine whether your case is eligible to be expunged or sealed.  

Expunction

After criminal charges have been dismissed against you, there is still an arrest on your criminal record.  Having such an arrest on your criminal record can have debilitating effects on your life. Potential employers, banks, apartment complexes and neighbors can still see a dismissed charge on a background check.  

The State of Texas allows one, under certain circumstances, to have all records concerning his/her arrest destroyed through the process of expunction.  Those circumstances include a dismissed charge, successfully completed pre-trial diversion program, and successfully completed deferred adjudication probation on a class C misdemeanor.  However, one is not always entitled to seek an expunction immediately after a dismissal or successfully completed diversion program.  The Harris County District Attorney's Office recently amended its policy regarding waiting periods to seek expunction after completing pretrial diversion programs.  Many people are eligible to clean their records today.  

If a court grants an order of expunction, each agency that has records of your arrest must return all records concerning the arrest to you and destroy all references in its computer system. You may lawfully deny the you were ever arrested (except when testifying in a criminal trial, in which you only need to say that the arrest was expunged).   

Mack Schaffer believes in second (and third) chances in life.  Don't let your old criminal charge hold you back any longer.  Set up your free consultation today.  

Non-Disclosure (Sealing)

An arrest on your record can have devastating effects on future employment, financing, and living arrangements.  Even if you have completed a deferred adjudication probation and do not have a final criminal conviction on your record, a criminal case and arrest still show up on criminal background checks.  

Upon successful completion of a deferred adjudication probation, you may be entitled to petition the court to seal the records concerning your arrest and probation.  Certain offenses do not qualify for non-disclosure.  Other offenses require a waiting period of two to five years.

It is within the trial court's discretion to grant or deny a petition for non-disclosure.  Should the court grant your petition, all records of your arrest and prosecution become non-public records.  

If you are interested in sealing your criminal records, set up a free consultation today.