Expungements: Get a “Fresh Start!”

At the Misdemeanor Clinic, we know that good people can have bad days. Most bad days are easy to recover from, and we get a fresh start the next morning! But what if your fresh start has been compromised by an arrest or legal charges against you? While many criminal cases can be brought to a desirable resolution, a favorable outcome does not remove an arrest from your record – which can create ongoing difficulties for you.

Take the job search for example: employers routinely ask job applicants whether they have been arrested for a criminal offense – and often choose not to hire the applicant that must answer yes. A “yes” can also affect your ability to rent an apartment, get a loan, or attend college.

The good news is you may be able to get an arrest removed from your record through an expungement:

• Expungement is the process of erasing arrest and court records. Unless you are making an application for law enforcement or education or any other type of application where you must disclose past arrests, generally you may legally answer “no” if you are ever asked if you have a criminal record on applications.
• The process is complicated and involves the State Attorney’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the judge assigned to your case.
• You can only expunge an arrest once in a lifetime.
• Since an expungement can offer a “clean slate,” it is worth the effort it takes! One of the most important actions that people who have been arrested or charged can take is to retain the services of an attorney familiar with the expungement process.

If you or someone you know needs a fresh start, give us a call at (561) 425-8229 or visit our website at www.misdemeanorclinic.com.