Our criminal defense attorney in Fort Worth addresses dealing with expunging a criminal record and what the process involves.
If you or your child were previously arrested or convicted of a crime, you might find that you face an uphill battle when it comes to finding work or an apartment. Potential employers and landlords often ask questions about prior convictions – or even an arrest – and could deny you a job or housing based on your answer. However, you might be able to have these charges expunged or removed from your record.
Expungement Defined
Expungement means that your record of an arrest and/or a conviction is sealed and cannot be accessed. The process by which this occurs varies between states.
Questions to Qualify for Expungement
If you want to qualify for an expungement, you can ask the following questions of the criminal court, the arresting law enforcement agency or your defense lawyer.
- Does this offense qualify for expungement? In some locations, only arrests or misdemeanors are eligible.
- How long do I need to wait to apply for an expungement?
- What is the step-by-step process that I must take? You might be able to fill out basic forms without hiring an attorney.
- Once my record is expunged, will anyone ever be able to access it?
Juvenile and Drug Offenses
The courts generally take a more lenient view of juvenile or drug offenses.
- Juvenile crimes – A juvenile usually needs to wait until he or she turns 18 to seek an expungement. The person must remain law-abiding in order to qualify.
- Drug crimes – The courts sometimes offer diversion programs, and completing such a program often allows for expungement of your record.
A final option might be to seek a “Certificate of Actual Innocence” or a document that demonstrates that you are completely innocent of the alleged crime and should not have been charged.
Call Our Criminal Defense Attorney in Fort Worth at (877) 208-3382
To find out if your case is eligible for expungement, contact our Fort Worth criminal attorney at the Law Office of Bryan P. Hoeller.
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Highly recommend! Colin thank you so much for your dedication. Thank you for actually wanting to sincerely help and give us the best outcome we can get. You are by far one of the best. You helped my bf reschedule a court date after it was missed and was able to give him the same plea deal. Thank you again Colin.
Kassandra H
Absolutely wonderful! Collin was fantastic. He really fought for me and I am very happy with the outcome of my case. He really fought for my case to have a positive outcome and was supportive, easy to get ahold of when needed and walked me through everything. I would definitely recommend him to anyone and everyone!!
Stephanie M
I would highly recommend Hoeller McLaughlin. They helped my husband on a probation violation case and did an excellent job. Dustin Trammel was our attorney and he communicated with us and was supportive and helpful throughout the process. Very good legal service and would recommend this firm.
Hillary G
Colin by far has been one of the BEST attorneys in Ft. Worth. His dedication and attentiveness really shows not only in court but with the client and family. Great communication, easy web portal and friendly staff. 5 stars are NOT enough. Thank you Colin
Stephanie Alvarado
I can not say enough about how grateful I am that Dustin Trammel was my attorney! Having no experience with court proceedings, Dustin explained everything and stayed in touch with me the entire time. I couldn’t have asked for a better attorney! Very highly recommend!!
Brenna Mills
