There are a couple of ways an attorney can help a person “clean up” there record after they are charged with a criminal act: Expunctions and Orders of Non-Disclosure. They are defined as follows:
Expunction: An expunction is a process by which you can have arrests and criminal charges completely removed from your record. This is typically only available to persons whose charges were dismissed or if they were acquitted by the Court or a jury.
Order of Non-Disclosure: If you have successfully completed Deferred Adjudication for a misdemeanor or felony, you may be eligible for an Order of Non-Disclosure. An order of non-disclosure is document that a judge signs ordering DPS and in turn all public agencies to no longer release information about the deferred adjudication punishment you completed. This order is achieved by filing a petition for non-disclosure with the appropriate court at the appropriate time and having a hearing establishing eligibility for the order.
