If you faced a criminal charge in Texas before, then you already know the hardships of life before seeking expungement. Even if you plead “not guilty” or your criminal charges were dismissed, then the arrest information may remain on Texas public record. As a result, they can be forwarded to the Texas Department of Public Safety as well as kept on file at the Texas Crime Information Center (TCIC) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).
When you apply for a new job, get insurance or want to purchase a home, people running background checks may be able to access your criminal record. However, record expunction may prevent that.
A criminal charge or conviction does not need to follow you the rest of your life. The Denton County criminal lawyers of Michael Crowder Law, P.L.L.C. can help you in filing for expungement of a criminal record. Additionally, if you want to have your criminal record sealed, our Denton County criminal defense attorneys can petition for an order of non-disclosure. We offer a free consultation to help you through the Texas expungement process.
Expunging a criminal record erases all information pertaining to a criminal charge. Your record will look as though the criminal case proceedings never occurred. Because of this, only individuals able to meet certain criteria are eligible for criminal record expungement. If you were successful with your expungement, then you can deny the criminal charge under oath.
Our Denton County criminal defense attorneys can help gain record expunction for individuals who have:
The Denton County expungement attorney and former police officer of Michael Crowder Law, P.L.L.C. perform numerous expunctions each year. We make sure to stay current with the Texas expunction law as it changes.
If you have questions about expunging a criminal record or whether you qualify for an expungement in Texas, contact a Denton County criminal defense attorney. If you are not eligible for expungement of your criminal record, then some charges may still qualify for an order of non-disclosure.
Orders of non-disclosure keep criminal records from disclosure to the public. Called “sealing criminal records,” non-disclosure orders in Texas then limit the types of agencies that can see past criminal records. Successful Texas non-disclosure orders may prohibit the following from learning of your past criminal history:
However, orders of non-disclosure are still available to law enforcement and a number of other government agencies, such as:
Our Denton County criminal lawyers may be able to file an order of non-disclosure to have your misdemeanor charges sealed from public view, too.
Texas criminal law allows those who complete deferred adjudication probation for certain charges to file for orders of non-disclosure. Common charges that may be eligible for non-disclosure include:
For most misdemeanor cases, our Denton County criminal lawyers can petition for an order of non-disclosure immediately after you complete your probation. If you completed deferred adjudication probation, a judge then signs the order of non-disclosure. There is a wait time of two years for some misdemeanors. Additionally, there is a five-year wait time for some felony charges before you can file non-disclosure orders.
Contact us to arrange a free consultation with an experienced Denton County expungement attorney. We will then determine whether you qualify for expunging or non-disclosure of your criminal record. Contact a Denton County criminal defense attorney today. Our criminal law firm serves clients across North Texas and DFW, with significant experience assisting Dallas, Plano, and Irving in addition to representing those living in the nearby neighborhoods of Addison, Double Oak and Lantana.