Vero Beach & Sebastian: 772.569.5495 Ft. Pierce & Port Saint Lucie: 772.464.0695 Stuart & Palm City: 772.223.8575
Contact Me By Phone - 24 Hours!
772.569.5495 (Indian River)
772.464.0695 (St. Lucie)
772.223.8575 (Martin)
FREE Consultation
Flexible Payment Options
Sealing or Expunging Your Criminal Record
Florida law allows a person who has never been convicted (adjudicated guilty) of a crime and who has never sealed or expunged a previous charge to request that the court seal or expunge all arrest records and court records pertaining to your case. Once the records have been sealed or expunged, you may LEGALLY DENY that you were arrested for the crime which you had sealed or expunged! Even if your case was dropped, a record still exists in law enforcement and court files, unless you take action to expunge or seal it.
Don’t let a wrongful accusation or a youthful indiscretion keep you from obtaining a job, getting into school, or obtaining a specialized occupational license. Contact Attorney Christopher J. Jacobs today to find out how you can get records of a past arrested sealed or expunged.
You may only elect this option once in your lifetime, and some charges can never be sealed or expunged. Your record can only be immediately expunged if your charges were not formally filed upon by the State Attorney, you were found “not Guilty” or if they were dismissed by the State Attorney or Court after filing. If you entered a plea and received a withhold of adjudication, your only avenue is to seal your record for 10 years, after which you may seek to expunge it.
Do You Qualify?
In order to qualify for a records sealing or expungement you must meet the following criteria:
-
•You have never been adjudicated guilty of a misdemeanor, felony, or comparable ordinance violation either as an adult or a juvenile. (A “Withhold of Adjudication” on a charge will not prevent you from sealing your record, except for certain offenses).
-
•You have never sealed or expunged a prior record.
-
•You are not currently on probation or community control.
-
•Your record can only be immediately expunged if your charges were not formally filed upon by the State Attorney, you were found “not Guilty” or if they were dismissed by the State Attorney or Court after filing. If you entered a plea and received a withhold of adjudication, your only avenue is to seal your record for 10 years, after which you may seek to expunge it. If you plead and received a withhold of adjudication, there are many crimes which cannot be sealed, such as Sex Offenses, Domestic Violence, Drug Trafficking, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery and many others.
Contact the Law Offices of Christopher J. Jacobs, P.A. to determine if you are eligible to get a fresh start by wiping that prior offense off your record!
The hiring of a Florida criminal defense lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience. This web site is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed as formal legal advice or the formation of a criminal defense attorney/client relationship. Not all results are provided, the results are not necessarily representative of results obtained by the lawyer, and a prospective client's individual facts and circumstances may differ from the matter in which the results are provided.
Offices in Vero Beach, Fort Pierce and Stuart, Florida, also serving Sebastian, Port St. Lucie, Jensen Beach, Indiantown, Hobe Sound and Okeechobee.
Home Attorney Profile Criminal Defense DUI Defense Office Locations
Copyright © 2009, The Law Offices of Christopher J. Jacobs, P.A.