512-808-0280
EXPUNCTIONS & NONDISCLOSURES
EXPUNCTIONS
Chapter 55 of the Code of Criminal Procedure
Expunctions were created to give a way for a person who was wrongfully arrested to remove all traces of that arrest from the government's records. The process, although conceptually simple, can be somewhat confusing and intimidating to those who aren't familiar with it.
The statute that created expunctions has been amended and revised many times. As it exists today, with many technical and unusual requirements, some deserved expunctions can be denied, some underserved expunctions can be granted, and some may suffer criminal sanctions for failing to properly comply with an expunction order.
There are three major types of expunctions:
-
Acquittals and Pardons: a person who has been acquitted (found "not guilty") or pardoned of an offense is entitled to have the records of his arrest expunged.
-
Dismissals and No-Bills: arguably the most complicated type of expunction is for offenses that never went to trial, whether because the arrested person was never formally charged (indicted) or because they were indicted but the case was dismissed before trial. These expunctions have two basic requirements: first, the petitioner must have been released with neither a final conviction nor court-ordered supervision (e.g. through successful completion of a pretrial intervention program or a Veteran's Court program), and second, the statute of limitations has run, the indictment was dismissed (e.g. because it was based on mistake, false information, or other reasons that indicate a lack of probable cause), or a waiting period has passed.
-
Identity Theft: identity theft is a growing problem, including in Texas, and the law has changed to accommodate victims. A person may get an identity theft expunction if: (1) the information identifying the petitioner was falsely given by the arrested person without the petitioner's consent, and (2) the only reason the information is in the record is because the arrested person falsely gave that information. However, the identity theft expunctions now also extends to include: (1) people who were actually arrested, and (2) that arrest was solely a result of identifying information that was inaccurate due to a clerical error.
NONDISCLOSURES
Chapter 411 of the Texas Government Code
Unlike expunctions, which are intended as a remedy for the wrongfully arrested, nondisclosures act as a second chance for first-time or low-level offenders. An order of nondisclosure "seals" a person's record and allows him to move forward without that arrest haunting his criminal history.
Nondisclosures were originally created as a mechanism to allow many defendants who received deferred adjudication to seal their records. Although deferred adjudication leaves a defendant without a conviction, without an order of nondisclosure, the case remains in his criminal record and may cause problems in the future. After a nondisclosure an ordinary background check will no longer reveal the case, and only law enforcement and certain state agencies will have access.
There are two prerequisites found in section 411.074 which a person must meet before they may petition for any of the eight categories of nondisclosure. First, the person must not have been convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication for any offense other than a fine only traffic violation for a certain time period. Second, the person must not have been convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication for:
-
An offense requiring one to register as a sex offender;
-
Aggravated kidnapping; murder, human trafficking, injury to child/elderly/disabled, violation of protective orders, stalking; or
-
Any offense involving family violence.
The statute divides nondisclosures into eight (8) categories:
-
For certain misdemeanor deferred ("automatic nondisclosures"),
-
For all other deferred adjudications,
-
Following misdemeanor community supervision,
-
Following other misdemeanor convictions,
-
Following DWI probation,
-
Following other DWI convictions,
-
After completing Veteran's Treatment Court,
-
For human trafficking victims,
If a person meets the two base requirements of 411.074 and the requirements in any one of the eight categories, he is entitled to an order of nondisclosure.
EXPUNCTION AND NONDISCLOSURE FAQ
Deleting & Sealing Criminal History
What is an expunction?
An expunction deletes and destroys all records of the arrest.
What is a nondisclosure?
A nondisclosure seals the records from the general public. This relief is generally available to those who successfully completed deferred adjudication probation.
Wasn’t my record automatically cleared when my case was dismissed, or when I was found not guilty?
Many people mistakenly believe that arrest records on their criminal history are automatically removed or sealed when they are found not guilty or a case is dismissed or declined. Some even believe that the records are cleared if they've successfully completed deferred adjudication probation.
The truth is that an arrest will remain a matter of public record and show up in background checks and online database searches. The only way to stop that is to get an order granting expunction or nondisclosure.
If I have my criminal record sealed with a nondisclosure, is it blocked from everyone, or can some people still access my criminal history?
The nondisclosure statute provides that some non-law enforcement entities may still have access to your records even if they’ve been sealed by a non-disclosure. These are listed in the statute:
-
the State Board for Educator Certification;
-
a school district, charter school, private school, regional education service center, commercial transportation company, or education shared service arrangement;
-
the Texas Medical Board;
-
the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired;
-
the Board of Law Examiners;
-
the State Bar of Texas;
-
a district court regarding a petition for name change under Subchapter B, Chapter 45, Family Code;
-
the Texas School for the Deaf;
-
the Department of Family and Protective Services;
-
the Texas Youth Commission;
-
the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services;
-
the Department of State Health Services, a local mental health service, a local mental retardation authority, or a community center providing services to persons with mental illness or retardation;
-
the Texas Private Security Board;
-
a municipal or volunteer fire department;
-
the Texas Board of Nursing;
-
a safe house providing shelter to children in harmful situations;
-
a public or nonprofit hospital or hospital district;
-
the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission;
-
the securities commissioner, the banking commissioner, the savings and mortgage lending commissioner, the consumer credit commissioner, or the credit union commissioner;
-
the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy;
-
the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation;
-
the Health and Human Services Commission;
-
the Department of Aging and Disability Services;
-
the Texas Education Agency;
-
the Guardianship Certification Board;
-
a county clerk's office in relation to a proceeding for the appointment of a guardian under Chapter XIII, Texas Probate Code;
-
the Department of Information Resources but only regarding an employee, applicant for employment, contractor, subcontractor, intern, or volunteer who provides network security services under Chapter 2059 to:
-
the Department of Information Resources; or
-
a contractor or subcontractor of the Department of Information Resources;
-
the Court Reporters Certification Board;
-
the Texas Department of Insurance
-
the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
A sealed criminal record may also appear on federal and state background checks for jobs, permits, and especially jobs that require licensing.
OUR ADDRESS
The Slaughter Law Firm, PLLC
505 West 12th Street, Suite 200-B
Austin TX 78701
512-808-0280 phone
512-870-9000 fax
