Conroe Expunctions and Non-Disclosure Attorney

Clear Your Name with the Help of Douglas W. Atkinson, Attorney at Law

A criminal conviction or even arrest in your past can cause you significant difficulties in the future. Most employers, colleges, banks, law enforcement and even landlords conduct criminal background checks causing you to lose job, education, loan and housing opportunities. The only way to prevent the public from discovering your criminal history is to file a petition for expunction or non-disclosure.

If you need help starting one of these important legal processes, you should contact Attorney Douglas W. Atkinson as soon as possible. With his help, you can expect professional support from the start to finish, no matter how detailed your arrest record may be.

What is an Expungement?

When you are arrested a public record is created that is entered into the following:

• Texas Crime Information Center database
• National Crime Information Center database
• County records

Once entered, arrest records may be obtained by private entities, even if the charges against you were dismissed or if you were found not guilty at trial. Expunction is the process by which your criminal charges and arrests are removed from your record. Once a criminal conviction is expunged the record cannot be discovered by anyone conducting a background check.

Am I Eligible for Expungement?

A petition for expunction may be filed to destroy the public record of your criminal charges and arrest in the following circumstances:

• The criminal charges were dismissed
• The criminal charges were refused by the prosecuting attorney’s office
• You were found ‘not guilty’ at trial
• You were found ‘guilty’ at trial, but the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned your conviction
• You were found ‘guilty’ at trial, but received a pardon from the Governor
• You received a deferred disposition for a class c misdemeanor offense

If you were charged with a class C misdemeanor and received a deferred disposition you must file a petition for expunction. Without expunction, the charges will remain on your record even if you successfully complete the deferred disposition. To find out if you qualify for an expunction call Douglas W. Atkinson, Attorney at Law and speak with a Conroe defense lawyer.

What is Non-Disclosure?

Non-disclosure is a process where the court seals your record from most segments of the public. The records are not erased by non-disclosure, but it will prevent many private entities from discovering your criminal history. If you are charged with an offense and completed a deferred adjudication successfully, you are eligible for non-disclosure. If you went on a straight probation, even if completed successfully, you are not eligible for non-disclosure. A final conviction, such as a jail or sentence or fines, can never be sealed.

A petition for non-disclosure may be filed immediately upon completion of your deferred adjudication in many misdemeanor cases. However, for some misdemeanors and all felonies, there is a waiting period before the petition can be filed. If you completed a deferred adjudication for one the offenses requiring a waiting period, you cannot receive a new deferred adjudication, probation, or conviction during that period. If you do, you are ineligible for a non-disclosure of the original charge. Additionally, you cannot have a prior conviction for certain enumerated offenses.