Granbury Expunctions and Nondisclosures Lawyer

Meet Our Criminal Defense Attorney

Rob Christian
Board Certified^®

Expunction Attorney Helping Texans Get a Fresh Start in Hood County

Problems in your past should not continue to affect your future. If you have a conviction or have received deferred adjudication in Texas, it can be an important step to have your criminal records sealed. A criminal record can negatively impact your ability to secure employment and housing, and it can even impact educational opportunities and other parts of your life.

Applicant screening through a background check is common among employers and landlords, making an expunction or nondisclosure essential to your future. Having a criminal record sealed is a complex process. With an experienced Granbury expunction and nondisclosure lawyer from The Law Offices of Rob Christian working on your behalf, you can make sure you take the correct steps to receive a fresh start.

What Is the Difference Between Expunctions and Nondisclosures?

Expunctions and nondisclosures are both legal resolutions that assist those with criminal offenses in their past in receiving a "do-over" that limits access to those records. There are important distinctions between expunctions and nondisclosures. An expunction erases your criminal record from all databases, allowing you to (legally) deny a prior criminal offense, particularly on employment and housing applications.

Nondisclosures limit access to your criminal record—but that record will remain available to specific government agencies and law enforcement. With nondisclosure, the information becomes unavailable to employers, landlords, and educational institutions. There are important eligibility differences between expunctions and nondisclosures. Both nondisclosures and expunctions can help you regain your rights and privileges, including voting and obtaining firearms licenses.

You may file a petition for nondisclosure if the following is true of your criminal record:

• You were placed on deferred adjudication for your criminal offense.
• You successfully completed the deferred adjudication requirements.
• You have waited the required amount of time to seek a nondisclosure. (Five years for a felony offense, two years for unlawful restraint, disorderly conduct, weapons offenses, domestic violence offenses, assault, kidnapping, human trafficking, gambling, aggravated kidnapping, and sexual offenses. (There is no wait time for a misdemeanor offense)
• Between your deferred adjudication and your petition for nondisclosure, you were not convicted of any other criminal offenses.

Not every criminal offense is eligible for nondisclosure, including: facilitating or compelling prostitution, aggravated kidnapping with intent to commit sexual abuse, indecency with a child, burglary with intent to commit sexual abuse, unlawful restraint, kidnapping, or aggravating kidnapping of a minor under the age of 17, possession or promotion of child pornography, stalking, endangering or abandoning a child, incest, sexual assault, domestic violence, online solicitation of a minor, injury to a child or elderly person, violation of a protective order, or sexual performance of a child.

Expunction is typically available in situations where you were never convicted of a crime. Expunction may erase criminal records related to an arrest if charges were never filed, if criminal charges were dismissed, or if you were acquitted. There are several factors that may affect your eligibility for expunction:

• Offenses eligible for expunction include many juvenile offenses, certain misdemeanor offenses, convictions that were successfully appealed, convictions for which a person received a pardon, and certain other offenses.
• Unless you receive a pardon or have been acquitted on appeal, if you have been placed on community supervision for any offense other than a Class C misdemeanor, you are ineligible for expunction.
• If your arrest is related to an offense involving fleeing after being released on bond or another type of probation violation warrant, your offense is ineligible for expunction.
• If the expunction request is for a felony charge that has been dismissed, and the statute of limitations for the crime subject to the dismissal has not expired, the offense is ineligible for expunction.
  

How Can an Expunction or Nondisclosure Improve Your Future?

There are many benefits to expunction or nondisclosure, including increased job opportunities. It is difficult enough to obtain employment without having an old criminal record getting in your way. If you have worked toward a professional license, your criminal record can prevent you from obtaining the license that will move you forward in your chosen career. You will have certain civil rights reinstated, including the right to vote and serve on a Texas jury. Finally, the social stigma of having a criminal offense on your record will be gone. You no longer must worry about being denied opportunities because of your criminal record.

Contact Our Granbury, TX Expunction and Nondisclosure Lawyer

If you are ready to have your slate wiped clean so that your criminal record will no longer dictate your future, your first step should be to contact an experienced Granbury expunction and nondisclosure attorney from The Law Offices of Rob Christian. We will work hard to protect your future, explaining the entire process every step of the way and answering any questions you may have regarding the process. Contact The Law Offices of Rob Christian at 682-936-4003 today to schedule a free consultation.