We all deserve a second chance, that’s exactly what “Expungement” does. If you are looking to see if your situation or that of a loved one qualifies for an expungement in Sanford FL or the Seminole County area, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Our Criminal Defense Lawyers have over 100 years of combined experience successfully litigating all types of charges.
What is “Expungement?”
Expungement is completely removing the record from your history. However, it is important to note there are certain requirements and rules that go along with it:
- Expungement is not up to you or your lawyer. You must qualify for it based on the resolution of your case
- Charges were dropped, dismissed, or there was an acquittal of all charges by the judge or jury, and
- You have never been convicted before of a criminal offense in Florida, and
- All juvenile felonies and specific misdemeanors that ended up in an adjunction of delinquency have been automatically expunged
- Only one record can be expunged in a person’s lifetime. The only exception to this rule and it’s up to the court, is if they can find that the records in question were somehow directly connected.
- A record may become eligible for expungement after 10 years, however, the same rule still applies
In addition to “expungement,” there is another process called “sealing”. Sealing means the record still exists, but it’s confidential, and it is only available to the subject of the record, their lawyer, or criminal justice agencies for their own purposes (i.e., background checks, firearm purchases or transfers).
What are the Qualifications for “Sealing” of a record?
- You have pleaded “guilty” or “no contest” and the court withheld the adjudication of guilt, or
- You received a “guilty” verdict after trial and the court withheld the adjunction of guilt, and
- The offenses you were found guilty of, are/are not prohibited from being sealed
- You have never been convicted of a crime in the state of Florida
- Any juvenile felonies or misdemeanors that ended up in an adjudication or delinquency were automatically expunged
- You have never expunged or sealed a past record in Florida
As you can imagine this is a complex process and the information outlined in this page is only scratching the surface. If you or your loved one are in need of information on an expungement, call us at 689-209-0400 to speak with a qualified legal professional or fill out the contact form on this page. We’re available 24/7, we offer free initial consultation and payment plans. In addition to our Sanford office, we have offices in the following cities across the state of Florida:
- Kissimmee
- Jacksonville
- Melbourne
- Ocala
- Orlando
- Tampa
- Fort Myers
- Daytona Beach
- Miami
- Lakeland
- Fort Lauderdale
- Sarasota
- Clearwater
*Additional Orlando Florida & Orange County Legal Resources