You may have seen movies where someone is able to expunge a criminal arrest and wondered if this is really possible.
Many people make reckless decisions in their youth that result in criminal arrests. This may cause a potentially negative impact on their quality of life for a long time to come. If you’ve made mistakes in your past that you’re afraid may stand in the way of a rosy future, you may be in luck — it may be possible to have your record expunged. In an expungement, the criminal file would be destroyed and there is no public record of it. Keep in mind that not everything can always be expunged. Under current Texas law, certain criminal convictions can be marked as nondisclosed but never expunged.
Following are just four of the many reasons to talk with the legal experts at Gebhardt and Eppes, PLLC about the possibility of having your record expunged.
Finding Employment
If your arrest has been expunged, you have the legal right to tell a potential employer that you have not been convicted or arrested for a crime. An expungement also opens up more professional doors because a arrest can make you ineligible for licenses and certificates necessary for certain types of jobs.
Renting an Apartment or House
A criminal arrest can keep you from being able to rent a house or apartment. Property management companies as well as most private landlords run background checks on prospective applicants, and you can find yourself out of the running if they discover an arrest.
Having a Relationship
Employers and landlords aren’t the only one running background checks these days — dating partners are taking this precaution as well, and a criminal arrest may cause some potential partners to give you a pass before they even get to know you. Naturally, you’re going to want to come clean about your past when you get in a serious relationship, and an expungement makes that much easier.
Personal Closure
Having a criminal arrest expunged may also provide you with the personal closure necessary to move forward with your life in a positive way.
Gebhardt and Eppes, PLLC are experts at expungement and may be able to help with your situation. Please get in touch with our office for more information.
