Where Cutting-Edge
Criminal Defense
Meets Texas Justice
featured images

Can I Expunge My Texas Criminal Record?

If you have been arrested for a crime in Texas, not only will a conviction lead to jail/prison time, fines, and other penalties, but also a permanent criminal record. Having a criminal record can cause irreparable harm to your professional reputation and personal life, making it difficult to seek employment, find housing, apply for college, and take advantage of many of life’s opportunities.

Fortunately, it is possible to expunge or seal your criminal record. When your record is expunged or sealed, certain parties—such as potential employers and landlords—who conduct background checks from accessing your information.

For information about expunging records in Texas or to get started on your case, contact us for a free consultation.

Record Expungement in Texas

If your criminal record is expunged, it is not released to the public and you are allowed to deny that you have been arrested in the first place. If your arrest did not result in a guilty verdict, you could expunge a misdemeanor or felony criminal offense.

Your criminal record is eligible for expunction if you were arrested and one of the following is true:

  • Your charges were dismissed at trial
  • The court acquitted you
  • You were arrested but never charged
  • You were convicted but later found innocent or pardoned

According to Texas law, you must wait a certain amount of time prior to applying for an expunction. This waiting period depends on the seriousness of the crime you were arrested for.

For example, if you were arrested for a Class C misdemeanor, you need to wait 180 days after your arrest to apply for an expunction. For a Class A or B misdemeanor, the waiting period is one year. For felonies, you need to wait three years.

Sealing Your Criminal Record in Texas

If you do not qualify for expunction, you may still be eligible for record sealing through an order of non-disclosure when you complete deferred adjudication.

In Texas, a deferred adjudication is a form of a plea bargain where you pled guilty or no contest to a criminal offense in exchange for meeting specific court requirements, such as community supervision. When a criminal record is sealed, only certain government authorities can view it.

When you have an order of nondisclosure, neither law enforcement nor the court can disclose your criminal record related to that order that has been sealed. Additionally, once you have an order of nondisclosure, you are never required to mention the charge or arrest. That means that you can honestly answer that you don’t have a criminal record on a job application or another form. Since a nondisclosure only hides certain charges, they can still be visible to licensing agencies and government entities. 

Additionally, an order of nondisclosure only applies to specific charges and circumstances, so you may not be eligible, 

Can a Misdemeanor be Expunged in Texas?

A misdemeanor may be expunged if your arrest did not result in a guilty verdict. If you were convicted of a serious misdemeanor, you must wait two years before applying for an order of non-disclosure. However, most misdemeanors are eligible for record sealing immediately.

If you were charged with a felony, the waiting period is five years.

The following are crimes that are never eligible for record sealing in Texas:

How to File for Expunction or Record Sealing

If you are eligible for expunction or record sealing, you must file a Petition for Expunction or Petition for an Order of Non-Disclosure from the court your case was originally held. Due to the complexities of these processes, having a criminal defense attorney on your side can help you obtain the results you desire.

Contact us to let our College Station criminal defense lawyer at Shane Phelps Law. review your situation and determine if you are eligible for expungement or record sealing in Texas.

Related Articles