Florida Criminal Law: What’s the Difference Between a Seal or Expungement?

Have you always wondered how to expunge a record in Florida? If you have a criminal record, you know the challenge of getting a job or having a normal life due to your past mistakes.

Luckily, sealing or expunging your records can improve your chances of having access to better opportunities, both personal and professional

However, you need to know the difference between having your records sealed and having them expunged. You will need to hire a Florida expungement lawyer to go over the process and execute the expungement on your behalf.

Foley & Wilson Law Firm goes over a criminal record seal and an expungement to help you understand the differences between the two.

What Does It Mean to Have Records Sealed?

When you have your records sealed with help from a Florida expungement lawyer, your criminal record still exists. However, access to those records is not possible for the general public, which means other people would not be able to find out exactly what you did to end up with criminal charges in the past. There are a few exceptions to this and Robert Foley can go over these with you.

Some people like to have their records sealed because it makes them feel a bit better about their situation knowing that not everyone can find out what they were convicted of doing. However, the record still remains and will continue to exist for the rest of the person’s life. Not all criminal records can be sealed. It depends on the type of crime committed and the length of time since the crime occurred.

What Does It Mean to Have Records Expunged?

When you want to know how to expunge a record in Florida, you need to talk to an attorney. The attorney will go over a list of crimes that can potentially be expunged from your record, which means they are removed for good. Simple and misdemeanor-level crimes may be expunged from a person’s record, but serious felonies cannot be removed, such as sexual assault and violent attacks that caused serious injuries or even death. In most cases, it is possible to expunge your criminal record in Florida, but you will need to talk to a lawyer who can help you. Expungements are typically limited to cases that were dropped, or where there was an acquittal.

There is a step-by-step process involved. You will need to file a petition for expungement with the local court. Your attorney can help you with the filing of the petition because you might not know how to do it. In addition to filing the petition, you will need to meet with a judge and have all pertinent documents with you during the court hearing. But don’t worry; the attorney will make sure you have the documents you need.

Interested in an Expungement? Foley & Wilson Law Firm Wants to Hear From You

Would you like to have your criminal record expunged? If you were charged with simple and relatively minor crimes, the chances of expungement are much greater, but there is a process that you will need to go through to make it happen.

At Foley & Wilson Law Firm, we are here to help you. We know you want a fresh start with a clean record. Call us at 239-690-6080 or complete our online form to schedule your consultation.