Criminal Defense
Your Criminal Record Is Costing You Jobs (Even If You Were Never Convicted)
You beat the case. Charges dismissed. Not guilty verdict. Case completed years ago. You moved on.
But your record didn’t.
That arrest is still showing up on background checks. And it’s costing you opportunities you’ll never even know about.
Dismissed Doesn’t Mean Gone
Most people assume that if charges were dismissed or they were found not guilty, the record automatically disappears. It doesn’t.
Arrests remain on your record indefinitely unless you take legal action to remove them. Employers, landlords, professional licensing boards—they all see the arrest. Many don’t bother reading far enough to see it was dismissed.
They just move to the next applicant.
Even Arrests Without Convictions Show Up
You were never convicted of anything. The case got dismissed. You did everything right.
None of that matters to a background check. All it shows is: an arrest entry. The outcome might be buried in fine print, or not listed at all.
Research shows employers make snap judgments based on arrest records alone. Fair or not, that’s reality.
Where It Hurts Most
Your criminal record impacts more than just job applications:
Employment: Many employers run background checks before interviews. You’re eliminated before you get a chance to explain.
Housing: Landlords routinely reject applicants with any criminal history, even dismissed cases.
Professional Licenses: Teachers, nurses, real estate agents, contractors—licensing boards scrutinize criminal records. An arrest can delay or deny your license.
Education: Some graduate programs and scholarships require disclosure of arrests.
You Have Options
Texas law provides two ways to clear your record:
Expunction completely erases the record. It’s like the arrest never happened. Law enforcement destroys the files. Background checks show nothing.
You may qualify for expunction if:
Charges were dismissed
You were acquitted
You were pardoned
You completed certain pretrial diversion programs
Order of Nondisclosure seals your record from public view. Law enforcement can still see it, but employers and landlords cannot.
This applies primarily to deferred adjudication cases where you successfully completed probation.
The Process Isn’t Automatic
Here’s what most people miss: you have to file for expunction or sealing. The court won’t do it for you. The prosecutor won’t do it for you. If you don’t take action, that record stays visible forever.
The process involves petitions, court hearings, and specific legal requirements. Missing a step or filing incorrectly can delay or deny your relief.
Stop Letting Old Cases Haunt You
If you were arrested but never convicted—or if you completed deferred adjudication years ago—you may be eligible to clear your record right now.
Don’t let an old arrest keep costing you opportunities. Find out if you qualify.
Next Steps
Call me today. Let’s review your record and determine what can be cleared—and how quickly we can make it happen.
— Tylden Shaeffer, Board-Certified Criminal Defense Attorney
