San Antonio Record Sealing & Expunctions Lawyers
Helping You Eradicate Your Criminal Record
It comes as a shock to many people charged with crimes that they will have a criminal record for the rest of their life despite the fact that they were never convicted. An arrest or dismissal, even without a conviction, will remain on file with the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Computerized Criminal History System. Furthermore, you might think that after completing deferred adjudication, your conviction would vanish from your criminal record – but this does not happen.
If you fail to take action to clear your record, it remains present and will be available to anyone performing a background check. Future employers, landlords, educational institutions, and anyone else will have access to the information. Moving forward with a criminal charge from an arrest or dismissal can seriously impact your life. That is why we recommend that you let our San Antonio record sealing attorneys take the necessary action to help you clear your record.
Contact us now for a free consultation at (210) 960-9557.
Clearing Your Criminal History
Two methods have been authorized in Texas to clear a criminal record. They are Order of Expunction and Order of Non-Disclosure. Only certain charges and convictions are eligible for expunction. Some crimes cannot even be sealed from your record.
Orders of Expunction
In certain situations, an order of expunction can be used to erase a criminal record. You must meet the eligibility criteria to successfully expunge your record.Please note that convictions cannot be expunged.
You are eligible for expunction if you:
- Were found not guilty
- Had your charges dismissed
- Received a deferred disposition on a Class C misdemeanor
- Won an appeal
- Were granted a pardon by the governor
To find out if you qualify for an order of expunction, contact our legal team at Smith & Vinson Law Firm. We can review your case to determine the appropriate legal action for clearing your record whether through expungement or an order of non-disclosure.
Orders of Non-Disclosure
Completing deferred adjudication will generally allow you to seal your record through an Order of Non-Disclosure. This means that your criminal history will not be available to the public but can still be accessed by criminal justice groups. In these cases, it is up to the judge to decide whether he or she can grant an Order of Non-Disclosure. Judges are held to a standard of doing what is in the best interests of justice. Because of this, you will need the assistance of a criminal defense attorney to represent you before the judge.
Additional restrictions regarding record sealing after completing deferred adjudication include a two-year waiting period for some types of Class A and B misdemeanors and a five-year waiting period for felonies.
Criminal offenses that cannot be sealed include:
- DWI
- Homicide
- Aggravated kidnapping
- Sex crimes
- Domestic violence
To protect your future, keeping your criminal record clean is paramount. By doing so, you will have access to the same opportunities and privileges as everyone else. Call Smith & Vinson Law Firm so that our San Antonio expunction lawyers can evaluate your situation. Our goal is to help you put the past in the past so that you can move forward to the next chapter of your life without barriers or restrictions.
Call now to connect with Smith & Vinson Law Firm and review of your case. We are available 24/7 at (210) 960-9557.