Did you know that you may still be eligible to seal or expunge one of your arrest records, even if you have been arrested more than once?
In order to expunge your record, the case must have been dismissed. That means that charges were dropped. You may also expunge a record that has been sealed for at least 10 years.
In order to seal your record, you must have received a withhold of adjudication to a qualifying offense.
Click here to learn about charges that you CANNOT seal.
So even if you have been arrested several times, you still may be allowed to seal or expunge one record. Florida does not permit any person to delete their entire criminal record. In your lifetime, you may be able to seal or expunge one arrest. That's not to say you cannot expunge or seal multiple charges. You can, so long as they stem from the same arrest. Remember - you seal or expunge the arrest record.
Florida law is pretty clear - you cannot seal or expunge any record if you have ever received a criminal conviction (adjudication). It does not matter where or when you received the conviction. If there is one adjudication of your record, even for a criminal traffic offense, you can never seal or expunge a record. Of course, you cannot seal that conviction.
You must also have never applied for a prior sealing or expungement anywhere in the world. Florida will check to see if you have ever applied.
So even if you have disqualifying offenses on your record, as long as adjudication was withheld, you may still be able to seal or expunge a previous or subsequent arrest.
Contact Eric Matheny to discuss whether you are eligible to clean you record.