Tampa & Clearwater Record Sealing Lawyer

Record sealing and expungement are very similar processes. They both deny people access to your criminal record. Expungement, however, totally deletes the record from your criminal records. When a record is sealed, an arrest or conviction is no longer a public record. Certain agencies will still have access to the record but it won't be general public knowledge anymore.

In record sealing and expungement cases, the judge's decision is discretionary. The judge that reads your case is not required to seal or to expunge someone's criminal record. The process can take up to 6 months.

While the State of Florida allows people to create their own record sealing packets, it is generally a good idea to allow an attorney to do this for you as it will ensure that mistakes are not made and that information that is necessary isn't left out.

There are certain crimes that are NOT eligible for record sealing, under any circumstances. These include:

Arson
Aggravated Assault
Aggravated Battery
Illegal Use of Explosives
Child Abuse
Abuse of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult
Aggravated Abuse of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult
Hijacking
Homicide
Kidnapping
Manslaughter
Sexual Battery
Robbery
Carjacking
Stalking and Aggravated Stalking
Attempting or conspiring to Commit Any of the above Crimes
Burglary of a Dwelling
Acts of Domestic Violence
Home-invasion Robbery

If you or someone you know needs to have their record sealed in order to be gainfully employed or for any other reason, contact the Law Offices of Tragos & Sartes, P.L.