It is true that you may be able to clear up your criminal record. There are several ways to clear up a criminal history. However, there are two methods which have been getting a lot of attention recently. One, is to have your criminal record expunged; the other is to have your criminal record non-disclosed. A person must be able to meet the statutory requirements to qualify for either method.
Expungement vs Sealing Records
Basically, to have a record expunged, a person would have had to have had their criminal case dismissed, found not guilty, or pardoned. To have a record non-disclosed, otherwise known as “sealed”, a person would have had to have successfully completed deferred adjudication for their criminal case. Some cases can be sealed immediately upon completion of the deferred period, other cases may have some type of waiting period after the deferred period.
The process takes up to a few months, because all the agencies that are depositories for criminal records have to be notified of your wish to clear up your record, and if you qualify, all of the agencies have to sign off on the order for non-disclosure or expunction.
