Many people have never been in trouble with the law. When someone goes through the legal proceedings, they are often overwhelmed and having a lawyer who is in court every day and knowledgeable about the law plays an important role in helping someone get through this process. Sometimes, a lawyer can work with the State Attorney to be able to get someone into a diversion program or to avoid a formal conviction. These people may be able to have this charge removed from their record through an expungement.
An expungement allows for the government to remove from their records your criminal charge. This allows for people who have never had a criminal charge before to be able to remove their record through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. After the case is closed, a disposition in the case will be entered and the expungement process may begin at the client’s request. Consulting a knowledgeable Expungement lawyer in Tampa, FL, is crucial at this stage to ensure proper handling of the process. The procedure typically takes a few months and involves several steps. Paperwork must be completed, and fingerprints of the client along with other documents are submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. After they receive and process this information, the lawyer can then file a motion for the judge to sign, resulting in the removal of the records.
There are different reasons someone would have their record expunged, but the process should be done correctly. At Taracks & Associates we will obtain a certified copy of the dismissal of your charge from the Clerk’s Office and obtain State Attorney Authorization to apply for expunction prior to mailing the application to FDLE. Once it is sent to FDLE, they can take four to five months to return the approval certificate to us. Once we receive correspondence back from FDLE, we file a motion before the judge to have him/her sign a court order requiring the appropriate agencies to destroy your records.
If you or anyone you know needs to have this process completed, contact the Criminal Defense lawyers at Taracks & Associates to obtain legal services.