Hire a Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney to Help You Petition Quickly to Seal or Expunge a Criminal Record in Florida

Seal or Expunge Florida Criminal Record

Don't let a criminal record keep you from finding your dream job- start the process to seal or expunge your arrest and criminal record today. Many people in Florida suffer the consequences of having a criminal record even through they are eligible to have their record sealed or expunged. Want to know if you are eligible to seal or expunge your Florida Criminal Record? Visit our website for more information on sealing and expunging a criminal record throughout central Florida, including Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Polk County, Pasco County, Sumter County, Sarasota County, Manatee County or any of the surrounding areas, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Bartow, Plant City, New Port Richey, and Dade City. Call (813) 250-0500 today to speak with a criminal defense attorney in Tampa about the seal and expunction process.

Click here for more detailed information-sealing and expunging a criminal record.

After an arrest the police report and court information about the case can cause problems with finding employment or receiving a promotion. Whether all of your charges were completely dropped or whether you entered a plea for a withhold adjudication allowing you to avoid a conviction, the criminal record is still a public record that can be viewed by anyone with internet access or during a basic background check.

If you are eligible, sealing or expunging your criminal record (which includes all records related to the arrest such as any police reports, booking information, mug shot, charging document and other court documents) is the only way of putting the consequences of the arrest and prosecution behind you.

By hiring an experienced Tampa criminal attorney to file and litigate your petition to seal or expunge an arrest record you can make sure that you know up front whether you are eligible, that your the application is complete, that the prosecutor's office and FDLE complete their sections without delay, that the final paperwork is considered and signed by the court as quickly as possible. At the Sammis Law Firm, P.A., our goal is to make sure you experience no delay in obtaining the Florida sealing or expunction (expungement). Although you can file the Florida petition to seal or expunge your records without an attorney, many people find that having an experienced local attorney is a low cost way to find out about eligibility requirements, make sure the application is complete, avoid delays, and avoid having to personally appear for the final court hearing that must be scheduled in many jurisdictions in front of the judge in the case.

Having an experienced Tampa attorney file the paperwork to seal your record or expunge your record can save you time, worry, and delay, whether your petition needs to be filed in Hillsborough County, Polk County, Pinellas County, Manatee Count, Pasco County, Sumter County, Hernando County and Sarasota County.

Pursuant to Sections s.943.0585 and s.943 .059, Florida Statutes, a Certificate of Eligibility to expunge or seal a Florida criminal history record can usually be issued if you can honestly answer "no" to the following questions:
  1. As a juvenile, were you ever "adjudicated delinquent" for any criminal charge?
  2. Have you ever been convicted or adjudicated guilty of any crime anywhere in the United States for any offense, including a misdemeanor, felony offense, comparable county ordinance violation?
  3. Have any of your adult criminal records ever been sealed or expunged before?
  4. Are you currently under any type of diversion program (such as MIP or PTI) or any court ordered supervision such as probation or community control?
  5. If you ever entered a plea and the court "withheld adjudication," is the offense for which you entered the plea one of the offenses on the list of disqualifying offenses that can be found below?
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Disqualifying Charges for Florida Expunction (Expungement) or Florida Sealing

A request for a certificate of eligibility for a Florida expunction or sealing of a criminal history record will be denied if the defendant was found guilty or pled guilty or nolo contendere, even if the adjudication of guilt was withheld, on any violation of the following offenses listed in S. 907.041, Florida Statutes, including:

  1. Any act of Domestic Violence as defined in s. 741.28 F.S., which would include a misdemeanor or felony charge;
  2. Stalking and Aggravated Stalking;
  3. Aggravated Assault;
  4. Aggravated Battery;
  5. Trafficking in controlled substances;
  6. Manufacturing any substances in violation of chapter 893;
  7. Burglary of a dwelling;
  8. Home-invasion Robbery;
  9. Robbery;
  10. Carjacking;
  11. Aircraft piracy;
  12. Kidnapping;
  13. Homicide;
  14. Manslaughter;
  15. Arson;
  16. Illegal use of explosives;
  17. Act of Terrorism as defined by s. 775.30 F.S.;
  18. Florida Communication Fraud Act(Scheme to Defraud or Organized Fraud, as used in s.817.034, F.S.);
  19. Offenses By Public Officers and Employees;
  20. Child abuse or Aggravated Child Abuse;
  21. Abuse of an elderly person or disabled adult, or aggravated abuse of an elderly person or disabled adult;
  22. Sexual Battery;
  23. Lewd, lascivious, or indecent assault or act upon or in the presence of a child under the age of 16 years;
  24. Sexual activity with a child, who is 12 years of age or older but less than 18 years of age, by or at solicitation of a person in familial or custodial authority;
  25. Sexual misconduct with developmentally disabled person and related offenses;
  26. Sexual misconduct with mental health patient and related offenses;
  27. Luring or enticing a child;
  28. Sexual Battery and related offenses;
  29. Procuring person under 18 for prostitution;
  30. Lewd or lascivious offenses committed upon or in the presence of persons less than 16 years of age;
  31. Voyeurism;
  32. Lewd or lascivious offense upon or in presence of elderly person or disabled person
    S.827.071, F.S.;
  33. Sexual performance by a child;
  34. Showing, selling, etc., obscene literature to minor;
  35. Computer pornography;
  36. Selling or buying of minors;
  37. Sexual misconduct with mentally deficient or mentally ill defendant and related offenses
  38. A violation of any offense qualify for registration as a sexual predator under s.775.21 or for registration as a sexual offender under s.943.0435; or
  39. Attempting or conspiring to commit any of the above crimes.

You are not eligible to seal your Florida arrest record, if your underlying offense is on this list or if you ever entered a plea to one of these offenses under Florida law, even if adjudication was withheld.

Call the Sammis Law Firm at (813) 250-0500 today to speak with an experienced Tampa criminal defense attorney in Hillsborough County, Florida about sealing and expunging a criminal record in any county in Florida, including Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Pasco County, Polk County, Manatee County, Sarasota County, Hernando County, or Sumter County, Florida.

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