You might breathe a sigh of relief if you were arrested and never charged, or if you faced criminal charges and were not convicted. However, even having an arrest on your record can impact your life in many ways. If you are feeling the effects of an arrest record, contact a Texas expungement lawyer to discuss possible options.
Possible Personal and Professional Repercussions
The foundation of the criminal justice system is that defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Unfortunately, we know the system doesn’t always work this way. This is especially true in the court of public opinion.
Just an arrest can be enough to create the stigma that you violated the law, even if you were never found guilty. Many people assume you will only be arrested if you did something wrong, and they might also assume that your case dismissal or acquittal was simply a technicality. Other parties simply do not want to associate with individuals who might have a problem with law enforcement officers.
Even though you were never convicted of a crime, an arrest record can:
- Keep potential employers from hiring you
- Prevent you from getting approved for rental housing
- Cause possible child custody issues
- Make it more difficult to get accepted into advanced educational programs
- Make it more difficult to obtain or keep professional licenses
The good news is that Texas law allows many people to expunge their arrest records, which essentially makes information about your arrest inaccessible to most parties. This process can relieve you from the effects of having a record.
Contact a Texas Expungement Attorney Today
The Texas expungement attorney at Gilbert G. Garcia Law Firm assesses whether individuals are eligible for expungement and handles every step of the process. Contact us to discuss the benefits of an expungement and whether you might qualify.
