Regardless of whether you were merely arrested or have served time, you will have some sort of permanent criminal record. This criminal record can present a major obstacle in your life as academic institutions, employers and landlords alike all have access to it and, depending upon their internal policies, may chose to exclude your application altogether.
As you move on with your life after an arrest or after serving your sentence, we firmly believe that you should be able to progress unencumbered by a criminal record.
Several options are available to lessen the future effects of your criminal record. One of these is petitioning for an expunction, otherwise known as expungement. Under this process those who have been arrested and charged with a crime, only to be exonerated or have the charges dropped, can have the court record, arrest record and all other documentation associated with the case destroyed.
The second option is to file a petition for nondisclosure (have your criminal record sealed). If your petition is accepted, all documentation associated with the offense in question will be kept from public view. While this option is available to those who have been convicted, certain eligibility requirements must still be met. Please note that the information in the sealed file may still be viewed by law enforcement agencies.
Experienced in Clearing Your RecordAt The Law Office of Troy P. Burleson, P.C., we offer experienced record expunction and nondisclosure services. With your record expunged or deferred, you no longer need to list prior convictions on employment applications.
Our firm always helps our clients try to obtain a dismissal of the charges. A dismissal of the charges is especially important if you have been accused of DWI, as many employers who require their employees to drive are often unable to hire those convicted of DWI due to increased insurance costs.
Contact UsIf you have questions regarding record expunction or nondisclosure, please contact us to schedule a free initial consultation with our attorney, Troy P. Burleson. We are available for evening and weekend appointments, accept credit cards, offer flexible payment plans and charge affordable rates. Call (469) 619-3800. We have offices that are conveniently located in Plano and directly across the street from the County Courts of Law in McKinney.