West Palm Beach Expungement & Record Sealing Lawyer

Being arrested for a crime you did not even commit can have life-altering consequences, because your arrest record is part of the public record. Employers, banks, and basically anyone can run a background check on you and see that you were arrested. The fact that the charges were dismissed may not even matter to the individual or institution; you were arrested and charged for a crime. That may be enough to give the job or the loan to someone else. The same thing can happen to you if you were arrested for a crime, a judge ordered sanctions against you, but you were not formally convicted—it will show up on the public record and can have devastating consequences for your future. Here at Haber | Blank LLP, our West Palm Beach expungement & record sealing lawyer specializes in making these problems go away. We can help you expunge or seal your record so that you can finally move on with your life.

Record Expungement and Sealing

When can expungement be used in Florida, and what is the difference between expungement and sealing? The simple answer is that expungement can be used if you were arrested for a crime, but the charges were dismissed for one reason or another (you were acquitted, the prosecutor dropped the case, or a judge granted a motion to dismiss), or there was no adjudication of guilt. In order to be eligible for expungement, you cannot have any prior convictions on your record, and you cannot be under probation. The same is true of sealing. If you were charged with a crime, you pled guilty, you plead no contest, or you were found guilty, yet adjudication of guilt was withheld, you may be eligible. If you were not convicted of the crime, you can petition the court to have your record sealed once probation is up and you have adhered to restitution or court reimbursement. This does not apply to certain violent felonies, such as arson, aggravated battery, etc. Once a record has been sealed for 10 or more years, you can then have it expunged.

What is Best? Expungement or Record Sealing

If your record is expunged or sealed, you can legally deny to employers and other parties that you have a criminal record, because the record of the incident will be hidden from public view. Under most circumstances, you can say this under oath. There are some exceptions, such as working in law enforcement or education. While expungement essentially erases the record, and sealing hides it from view, both offer relief when it comes to applying for jobs, school, loans, and more.

Call a West Palm Beach Expungement and Sealing Lawyer Today

Expungement and sealing are two great methods to put the past behind you. To find out if  your arrest record or criminal record can be expunged or sealed, do not hesitate to call the West Palm Beach expungement and sealing lawyer at Haber | Blank LLP.  Let us help you get a fresh start in life. Call us today at 954-767-0300 to schedule a free consultation.