A consequence of a modern wired world is that information about you is readily available for all to see on the world wide web. Even if you yourself did not place the information about you “out there” in the public space, at some point in your life, you should expect to have to explain an uncomplimentary posting or information about you that does not reflect who you really are now. Any indiscretion or a simple mistake can follow you to the grave.
Lines on what type of information is public versus what type of information is public have been drawn, redrawn, and now are quite blurry. Background checks used to be performed by governments or corporations for positions involving security or national importance. Now, a background check is a regular part of the screening process for a job, a student loan, and a residential living application. An unfavorable background report means no job, no loan, and no housing.
Mugshots
Many municipalities routinely post a mugshot, name, and the alleged crime of all people arrested in their jurisdiction. With the prevalence of dashboard cameras and now police body camera, expect to see videos of arrests gone wrong or bad behavior during an arrest because the suspect is simply drunk.
Pleas or Convictions
All criminal matters are ultimately resolved in the criminal justice system. The suspect is charged, pleads guilty, or is convicted of the arresting charges. Sentence may include fines, probation, or incarceration. At some point, the criminal defendant completes the terms of his or her sentence and starts anew – rebuilding his or her life – and trying to move forward with other life milestones. The arrest record and plea or criminal conviction however, are not easily erased. Your criminal background follows you for the rest of your life.
Expungement or Order for Nondisclosure in Texas
In Texas, a criminal defendant, may seek to address public access to a criminal arrest, plea, or conviction record by requesting an expungement or order for nondisclosure. An expungement erases all evidence of a criminal charge – the arrest, the charges, the charging documents, the disposition, and the sentence imposed and fines assessed – permanently. No one in the future, including the police, prosecutors, or the court, will ever know about the expunged record.
An order for non-disclosure limits the amount of information the clerk of the court of the criminal court that decided your original criminal case can disclose to third parties. The offenses remain in your criminal record however; third parties cannot see it.
Contact a Plano, Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Today
If you are interested in having a prior criminal arrest and subsequent disposition and sentence in Texas expunged or for an order for nondisclosure, contact the law offices of Kimberly Griffin Tucker to discuss which solution is best for you. Keep in mind that different rules apply to each of the tools available to keep your criminal arrest and conviction confidential. Kimberly Griffin Tucker and her team are ready to assist you to resolve your DWI case. Call (214) 445-6336 to schedule an immediate free consultation. Reach us 24 hours per day via phone and email. Our Plano, Texas office is only a phone call away.