Expunction & Nondisclosure
With the internet, criminal records are more public than ever before, and public records searches are commonly done by employers, apartment management, colleges, trade schools, and other such entities. So, there are a variety of reasons why a person would want an expunction or nondisclosure. Perhaps you accepted deferred adjudication probation for a misdemeanor or felony arrest, believing that once you finished the probation the charge would be dismissed and disappear from your records. Or perhaps you were arrested by mistake with the charges being later dropped, or you were found “not guilty”. Would you be surprised to know that the record of these events is permanently placed in your criminal history and can be viewed by the public unless you are granted an expunction or nondisclosure? Even seemingly minor offenses can be viewed by potential employers and landlords conducting background checks. People often want to “start over” by expunging or sealing their records.
What is an Expunction and What are the benefits?
An expunction is a court order directing certain law enforcement agencies to destroy all records associated with an arrest and subsequent prosecution. Think of expunction as a complete removal of the records. An expunction allows the petitioner to legally deny ever having been arrested for or charged with the criminal offense for which he is receiving the expunction.
What is a Nondisclosure and What are the benefits?
A nondisclosure is a court order directing certain law enforcement agencies to refrain from disclosing to any third party any criminal records associated with an arrest, prosecution and deferred probation. Think of nondisclosure as sealing a record from public view, but it can still be viewed by certain law enforcement and government entities. A successful petitioner can legally deny the existence of his arrest, charge and deferred probation, and any third party who buys criminal history information, such as PublicData.com, must remove that information from their databases.
Rates:
Expunction : (Dallas County only)
For an eligible uncontested expunction, we will draft and file your documents, and we will represent you in court at the final hearing. You will get copies of the final documents at no additional cost.
Cost: $600.00 (does not include filing fees or eligibility test)
Nondisclosure: (Dallas County only)
For an eligible uncontested nondisclosure, we will draft and file your documents, and we will represent you in court at the final hearing. You will get copies of the final documents at no additional cost.
Cost: $600.00 (does not include filing fees or eligibility test)
However, not all criminal records can be expunged or sealed. These rates do not include an “Eligibility Test” and a criminal history report. First you must make payment and sign a retainer agreement. Then we run an eligibility test and pull your criminal history report. If your test results in your charge not being eligible for expunction or nondisclosure, the fee paid for the expunction or nondisclosure will be refunded to you, minus a portion of the fee for the cost to determine eligibility, usually about $50.