If you have been arrested, charged with a crime, or convicted of a crime in Texas, you likely feel the weight of a criminal record in many situations. Seeking an expunction or non-disclosure from the court can effectively destroy or seal your record, making it unavailable to potential employers and other members of the public that might check your background. However, even once you get an expunction or non-disclosure, there can still be exemptions that allow your record to continue to exist.
Before you seek an expunction or non-disclosure, you should understand the possibilities in which your record might still be available. Discuss this matter in more detail with an experienced Texas expunction attorney.
Possible Exemptions
Some judges grant expunctions or non-disclosures with exemptions attached that allow specific agencies to hold onto the records for a specific time period or even indefinitely. It is common, for example, for law enforcement agencies to retain records if they believe the information might be needed for another ongoing investigation.
This might include an investigation into another criminal accusation against you or another person. Police and prosecutors can request an exemption as part of the process. For instance, if you were charged because someone else stole your identity, they may need your arrest record as evidence of identity theft.
Even though your arrest and charges might still be discoverable by certain people for a period of time, getting an expunction or non-disclosure still allows you to deny these events on job applications and in other scenarios.
Use the free eligibility test now to see if you qualify!
The Gilbert G. Garcia Law Firm knows how beneficial expunctions and non-disclosure can be in Texas. I help clients clear their names, and our expunction lawyer is ready to help you.