Pinellas Park Seal & Expungement Lawyer
A single mistake shouldn’t result in a lifetime of struggle. Sadly, one criminal arrest or conviction can follow a person around for decades, causing them to lose out on job opportunities or apartments. Your criminal history doesn’t just disappear—and it never “falls off” your record. It can cause headaches for years to come whenever someone runs a criminal background check.
Call The Reep Law Firm to speak with a Pinellas Park seal and expungement lawyer. There are ways for some people to wipe out their criminal history, freeing them to move on productively with their lives. We explain more in this article.
Why a Criminal History Matters
Your criminal history is easily accessible online. With a click of the mouse, someone can pull up embarrassing information about your criminal history and then use it against you. You can expect this information to come up:
- When applying for a job. A background check is standard for employers in Florida. You can expect to have to explain your history.
- When seeking an apartment. Landlords try to avoid renting to someone with a criminal history, so they usually request that you consent to a background check.
- While maintaining a professional license. The state might suspend your license if you committed a crime, or they might not let you have a license in the first place.
- Family law disputes. Your criminal history can also become the focus of a child custody dispute.
These are only some of the hurdles that confront you. Is it possible to move on without this criminal history hanging over your head?
Sealing or Expunging a Record in Florida
Florida allows some people to seal or expunge their criminal records. When a record is sealed, the public can’t gain access to it, though certain government agencies can still see your history. When a record is expunged, even those agencies don’t have access to it.
Getting a record sealed or expunged is an excellent benefit. But do you qualify?
The state limits who can seal or expunge a record. For example, you must have completed your sentence before asking for this relief. Also, people with extensive criminal histories are usually ineligible.
Furthermore, some crimes are ineligible for sealing and expungement, including:
- Murder or manslaughter
- Aggravated assault
- Burglary
- Arson
- Sexual misconduct offenses
- Terrorism
- Felony battery
- Other crimes
Call our office to review your eligibility. We can comb through your criminal history to see if you can ask the state to seal or expunge your record. This is a complex area of law, and there are many boxes to check before you can get the relief you need.
Give Our Pinellas Park Seal and Expungement Lawyers a Call
Our Pinellas Park seal and expungement lawyer is eager to help in any way we can. If you qualify, we can handle all the paperwork and attend any court hearing with you. This is a cumbersome process, so an experienced lawyer’s help is ideal. Contact us to schedule a private consultation with a lawyer at our office.
