If you have a criminal record - even if you have been arrested but not convicted - that criminal record can have a serious negative impact on your future, in terms of employment, housing, loan applications and other matters. But you can clean up your criminal record with help. Our law firm understands the importance of keeping your criminal record as clean as possible. We know Florida's laws regarding criminal record sealing and expungement inside and out - and we can guide you through the process to give you the best chance of success. Most applications to seal or expunge a criminal record can be completed via telephone interviews with your attorney and correspondence via mail. Office visits may not be necessary.

The Difference Between Sealing and Expunging a Criminal Arrest Record

When a criminal record of an arrest or conviction is sealed, it means that the record is physically sealed and there is no longer public access to it. You can legally deny that you were ever convicted of the crime. When a criminal arrest record is expunged, the records are physically destroyed so they are not available for public access.

You Have an Arrest Record Even if the Charges Against You Were Dismissed

One reason criminal record expungement is so important is that, under Florida law, your arrest record remains publicly accessible even if the charges were dismissed or adjudication was withheld.