Expunction

After an arrest for a criminal charge, you may feel confused and hopeless. However, this charge doesn’t have to stay on your record forever. If you meet specific requirements, you may be eligible to have the charge expunged from your record. As a criminal defense attorney in Dallas, Reed Prospere can help you determine if you qualify for an expunction.

Reed Prospere has been part of the Dallas criminal defense bar since 1983, and has been a board-certified lawyer since 1984. With over three decades of experience behind him, he can help you apply for an expunction and determine if you qualify. We believe everyone deserves the chance to move forward with their lives, and we take great pride in helping our clients get a fresh start.

To find out if you are eligible for expunction, contact Prospere & Russell* at (214) 750-8555.

What Is Expunction?

Having a criminal charge completely removed or expunged from your record is expunction. Expungement is when all documentation surrounding your arrest and your trial is erased from your record. This means that whenever an employer does a background check, they will not find a history of the charge. This is different than sealing your record, and if granted, an expunction allows you to legally deny that you were ever arrested and charged with that criminal offense.

There are two common conditions under which expunction is granted:

• When you have been exonerated or found not guilty of the alleged crime
• When your case has been outright dismissed and not by the result of a deferred adjudication dismissal

Expunction is a valuable legal process that can help you get your life back on track. In order to have your case expunged from your record, you will need to file a motion and petition of expunction with the courts. It is highly recommended that you work with an experienced expunction lawyer during this process. Several documents must be collected, and the process must be adhered to correctly. An experienced attorney can help you throughout the process and ensure that you have the best chance of being granted your expunction.

Petitions for Order of Nondisclosure

Not everyone qualifies for record expunction. However, this does not necessarily mean that you don’t have options. You may yet be eligible to file a petition for an order of nondisclosure. While expunction completely removes the charge from your record, an order of nondisclosure seals your record and limits the access people have to the record of the criminal charge. This means that employers may not be able to see the record of that specific charge, but certain law enforcement agencies will still have access.

To qualify, you must meet six requirements:

• You participated in deferred adjudication community supervision
• You completed the deferred adjudication process
• The criminal offense is one that qualifies for nondisclosure
• You do not have previous criminal convictions that disqualify you
• You completed the appropriate waiting period before filing
• You were not convicted of a criminal offense during the specified period between your deferred adjudication and the dismissal of your case

It is important to note that this order doesn’t apply to all charges on your criminal record. You will need to file a petition for an order of nondisclosure for each criminal charge you are looking to seal. Just as with an order of expunction, the process of applying for an order of nondisclosure is complicated. Your best bet is to work with an experienced expunction attorney, like Reed Prospere, at Prospere & Russell*.

Get a Fresh Start

Having a criminal record can weigh you down. It can also disqualify you from many job opportunities, from finding housing, and from attending college. If you qualify for expunction, it is almost always worth pursuing. As a Dallas expunction lawyer, Reed Prospere takes great pride in helping people through the expunction process. We want to help you too. We can provide legal services in both English and Spanish, and we offer free case evaluations.

Speak with a Dallas expunction attorney today. Contact us at (214) 750-8555.