A lapse in judgment that results in criminal charges doesn't have to damage your reputation for the rest of your life. State law permits people to have their records expunged or sealed for specific offenses. You must have no past convictions on your criminal record to qualify for expungement or sealing. Furthermore, you are only allowed to employ this State-granted permission once in your lifetime.
Many individuals are unaware of the distinction between having their record sealed and having it purged. Our expungement attorneys in West Palm Beach are familiar with these crucial variations and can use either approach in your case.
Expungement is the process of physically destroying your criminal records so that they are no longer accessible to the public, prospective employers, as well as public background checks. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is able to keep a copy of the record as a result of this procedure (FDLE). This information can only be shared with law enforcement. When a record is purged, the relevant aforementioned institutions ( the Florida Law, criminal justice agencies, and so on) are notified; however, they don't have access to the real record.
If an individual is not engaging with any of the above organizations while expunging or sealing, they may legitimately deny or omit to recognize the actions covered by the expungement or sealing.
Apart from circumstances involving the aforementioned organizations, when your criminal record is expunged or sealed, it reverts to the state it was in prior to the criminal act. If you want to clear your record, an attorney in Palm Beach can assist you with the expungement procedure.
A sealed record suggests that a court can order a criminal record to be closed, making it inaccessible to future employers, the public, or a public background check. Nevertheless, the presence of a criminal record (but just not the precise contents) might still be revealed if:
A sealed record suggests that a court can order a criminal record to be closed, making it inaccessible to future employers, the public, or a public background check. Nevertheless, the presence of a criminal record (but just not the precise contents) might still be revealed if:
A claim needs to meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for expungement in West Palm Beach, Florida:
Furthermore, certain charges might not be eligible for expungement. Crimes involving domestic abuse, illicit sexual behavior, any violent acts such as battery and assault, crimes against children, and the trafficking of controlled substances are all ineligible for expungement. A petitioner needs to first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in order to start the expungement procedure. An attorney in West Palm Beach can assess if a person's charges fit the criteria for expungement.
The certificate doesn't guarantee that the record is going to be sealed or expunged. If it's granted, nevertheless, the certificate is going to indicate that you are eligible to petition the judge for a sealing or expungement of your criminal records. The court has the last say on whether or not to grant the application.
A competent West Palm Beach County criminal defense attorney can assist you in keeping your previous run-ins with the law as private as possible.
Your criminal history record is open to the public in Florida. Moreover, not only is this record made if you're convicted but it's also established if you're simply fingerprinted and arrested. The outcome of the arrest is included in the record, as well as whether you were acquitted or convicted, and whether the charges were dropped.
If your criminal history record has harmed your potential to get work or find accommodation, you should speak with a knowledgeable West Palm Beach criminal defense lawyer about your possibilities. You might be able to have your criminal record expunged or sealed based on the facts of the case.
Florida's Expungement & Sealing Law
