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(915) 533-0110
Defending Your Driving Rights, Protecting Your Future.
In the digital age, your past is never truly behind you unless you take legal action. It is an unfortunate reality that a single arrest or a brush with the law can create a permanent digital footprint that follows you for decades. Today, criminal records are more accessible than ever. With a few clicks, employers, landlords, banks, and educational institutions can delve into your history through online background checks.
If you have a record, you already know the “collateral damage.” You may find yourself constantly forced to explain a situation from years ago, only to be passed over for a promotion, denied an apartment lease, or rejected from a professional licensing program.
Fortunately, the State of Texas provides legal pathways to silence the past. At Aaronson Law Firm, we specialize in helping individuals erase or seal their criminal histories. With over 40 years of experience, our El Paso criminal expungement attorney understands the intricacies of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and how to navigate the local courts in El Paso, Hudspeth, and Culberson Counties to get you a clean slate.
Texas law offers two primary methods for addressing a criminal record: Expunction (often called expungements) and Orders of Nondisclosure. While both are powerful tools, they serve different purposes and carry different eligibility requirements. Choosing the right record sealing lawyer is the first step in determining which path applies to you.
A criminal expungement is the strongest legal remedy available in Texas. If your petition for expunction is granted, the court orders all relevant agencies—including the police, the Sheriff, the Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the courts—to physically and digitally destroy all records of your arrest and prosecution.
The Benefits of Expunction:
Legal Denial: Once a record is expunged, you can legally state on job applications and under oath that you were never arrested or charged with that specific crime.
Destruction of Records: The records are not just hidden; they are annihilated.
Complete Privacy: No private background check company or government agency will be able to see that the event ever occurred.
If you are not eligible for a full expunction—perhaps because you served a period of deferred adjudication probation—an Order of Nondisclosure is the next best solution. Instead of destroying the records, a nondisclosure “seals” them from the general public.
The Benefits of Nondisclosure:
Public Shield: Private employers, landlords, and credit agencies will no longer see the record during a background check.
Career Protection: You are no longer required to disclose the offense to most private entities.
Exception Awareness: While the public cannot see the record, certain state licensing agencies (like the Texas Medical Board or the State Bar) and law enforcement can still access the information for specific purposes.
Eligibility for these procedures is strictly defined by Texas law. Navigating these statutes requires a seasoned criminal record attorney who knows the local court dockets in West Texas.
Generally, you may be eligible for a criminal expunction if:
You were arrested but never charged with a crime.
The criminal charges against you were dismissed by the prosecutor.
You were found “Not Guilty” at trial (acquitted).
You successfully completed a Pre-Trial Diversion program.
You were convicted but later pardoned or found innocent through post-conviction DNA testing.
The case resulted from Identity Theft (someone else used your name during an arrest).
Nondisclosure is typically the route for those who successfully completed Deferred Adjudication.
Automatic Nondisclosure: For certain non-violent misdemeanors, the court may automatically issue the order.
Petition for Nondisclosure: For more serious misdemeanors or certain felonies, your attorney must file a formal petition.
Waiting Periods: Depending on the offense, there may be a waiting period (typically 2 to 5 years) after you complete your probation before you can file the petition.
Many people wait until they are applying for a dream job or a new home to think about their criminal record. Unfortunately, the legal process to clear a record takes time. Filing a petition for expunction involves a mandatory waiting period for notice to be sent to state agencies, followed by a court hearing.
By acting now, you prevent future roadblocks:
Professional Licenses: If you are pursuing a career in nursing, teaching, law, or real estate, a clean record is often a mandatory requirement.
Higher Education: Many graduate programs and universities run background checks on applicants.
Housing Security: In a competitive rental market like El Paso, landlords often use “zero-tolerance” policies for applicants with any criminal history.
Financial Opportunities: Banks and lenders may view a criminal history as a risk factor, affecting your ability to secure business or home loans.
At Aaronson Law Firm, we aren’t just lawyers; we are members of the West Texas community. We understand the local legal landscape from the El Paso County Courthouse to the smaller municipal courts in Horizon City, Socorro, and Van Horn.
If your arrest happened years ago in Hudspeth County or Culberson County, you need a lawyer who can handle the long-distance filings and appearances required to clear your name in those jurisdictions. Michael Aronson has spent over four decades building relationships with local prosecutors and judges, ensuring your petition is handled with the attention to detail it deserves.
For our neighbors in the trucking industry, a criminal record is a professional death sentence. If you hold a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), the rules for clearing your record are even more complex due to federal “anti-masking” laws. We provide specialized counsel for CDL holders to determine if a nondisclosure can protect your CSA score and your livelihood.
When you hire a lawyer to handle your expungement or nondisclosure, you are trusting them with your reputation. Here is why clients throughout the Southwest choose Aaronson Law Firm:
40+ Years of Proven Results: Experience is the greatest asset in the courtroom. Mr. Aaronson knows how to draft petitions that stand up to state scrutiny.
Personalized Case Evaluations: We don’t believe in “cookie-cutter” law. We review your specific arrest record and court disposition to give you a realistic assessment of your chances.
Bilingual Services (Hablamos Español): We ensure that language barriers never prevent our clients from receiving top-tier legal defense.
Comprehensive Traffic Defense: Often, a record started with a simple traffic stop. We handle everything from the initial citation to the final expunction.
Don’t let a past mistake define your future potential. If you are tired of looking over your shoulder or explaining your history to strangers, it is time to call a professional El Paso criminal expungment attorney.
At Aaronson Law Firm, we offer a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your eligibility for an expunction or a petition for nondisclosure. We will sit down with you, review your paperwork, and explain exactly what can be done to clean up your record.
Visit Our Office: 7362 Remcon Circle, El Paso, TX 79912
Call Us Directly: (915) 533-0110
Website: AaronsonLawTx.com
Aaronson Law Firm: Erasing the Past, Protecting the Future.
How long does the expunction process take in El Paso? Generally, once the petition is filed, there is a 30-day notice period required by law. Most cases are resolved within 60 to 90 days, depending on the court’s schedule.
Can a DWI be expunged in Texas? In Texas, a DWI conviction generally cannot be expunged. However, if the DWI was dismissed or if you were found not guilty, it may be eligible. Additionally, some first-time DWI offenders who meet specific criteria may be eligible for a nondisclosure under newer Texas laws.
Do I have to appear in court for my expunction? In many cases, if the state does not contest the petition, your criminal record attorney can appear on your behalf, meaning you may not have to miss work or step foot in a courtroom.
Will an expunction clear my records in other states? A Texas expunction order applies to Texas agencies and private companies that purchase Texas data. It is the most comprehensive way to clear your record within the state.
Expunction and nondisclosure of criminal records are two separate processes. Nondisclosure is known as record-sealing. Sealing your record makes it impossible to be accessed by most public and private parties but not all. Licensing agencies, such as the Texas Medical Board (licensing medical professionals) or the Texas Education Agency (licensing teachers) will still be able to view your record.
Expunction “erases” your record so that no one can access it, including licensing agencies, employers, and other public or private parties. This means that you will never have to answer questions about your arrest or charges when being considered for a job, an apartment, or anything else; it’s as if they never happened.
Eligibility for these two processes also differs. The only individuals who are eligible to seek nondisclosure are those who were granted deferred adjudication. Deferred adjudication occurs when a judge does not enter a finding of guilt after you have pleaded guilty or “no contest” but instead puts you on probation. This probation allows you to keep the conviction off of your criminal record. However, your arrest for the offense and the deferred adjudication will remain on your record. You will have had to complete the terms of the probation imposed by the judge to achieve this. Some crimes are never available for nondisclosures, such as certain sex crimes, kidnapping, murder, human trafficking, and domestic violence crimes.
Expunction is not available for anyone who was convicted of a crime. Those individuals who are eligible to seek an expunction only include the following:
Our El Paso attorney at Aaronson Law Firm can determine your eligibility and guide you through the appropriate process of expunction or nondisclosure. Our goal is to help you achieve your desired result so that you can move forward in life without the negative barrier of a criminal record.
Contact Aaronson Law Firm using our convenient online form or call to arrange for your free consultation today.
I thrive on the energy and challenge of litigation, and I inspire confidence in those I meet. As your dedicated legal advocate, my goal is a favorable outcome for you and your loved ones. Over four decades of legal experience means that when I say I'll fight for your case, I mean it.
Every single day at Aaronson Law Firm, I put my comprehensive knowledge and experience of traffic law and criminal defense into action. I'm prepared to guide you through your case, making the process as smooth as possible, and making you aware of any speed bumps along the way.
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