If your read my earlier posts, you will see that
sealing a criminal record and expunging a criminal record are two different things. The State of
Florida only permits one expungement or sealing of a record in your lifetime,
and it cannot be for a charge for which you have received an adjudication.
Also, an expungement erases a charge that was either never filed or dismissed.
A record is sealed if you have received a withhold of adjudication on
a qualifying offense.
The process takes 4-6 months. The first step is to contact a Miami expungement
lawyer or Broward expungement lawyer today to discuss your eligibility.
If you are eligible, the next step is to get your fingerprints taken at
your local police department. There is usually a nominal charge, like
$5, which you pay directly to the police department. The next step is
to fill out an Application for Expungement or Application to Seal Record
and have it notarized. If you are applying for an expungement, the application
must first be approved by the State Attorney's Office in the county
of your arrest. To seal a record, there is no approval by the State Attorney required.
After this step is completed, a packet of the necessary documents are prepared
by a Miami-Dade County expungement attorney and are sent to the Florida Department
of Law Enforcement (FDLE) along with a $75 application fee. After the
application is processed by FDLE, it is returned to my office along with
a certificate of eligibility. This is the State of Florida's way of
telling you that you have been approved to have your record cleaned.
I then prepare a petition that I will present to the Judge who presided
over your case. Assuming no complications or legal barriers, the Judge
will usuallly grant the motion and sign the order destroying your record,
or having the court file sealed.
This is an excellent thing to do if you are eligible. The most common reason
why my clients chose to seal or expunge their criminal records is because
of employment. If your record is cleaned, an employer or prospective employer
will not be able to find out about a past arrest. This is crucial in a
tough economy where employers are being very selective, and a past arrest
may ruin your chances of employment.
I enjoy helping clients get a second chance. As a Miami expungement attorney
and as a Broward expungement attorney, I charge $625.00 for the entire
process. This includes all fees, such as the $7 fee to order a certified
disposition of your case, the $75 application fee to FDLE, and the $42
fee to the Clerk of Courts.
If you shop around, you will see that expungements and record sealing can
range from $400 all the way up to $1000. I believe that I charge a reasonable
fee, considering that I, an expungement lawyer, will handle the process
from start to finish. I do not employ any paralegals or assistants. Your
expungement or sealing will be handled entirely by one attorney. The best
part about my representation is that you never need to take time out of
your day to come to my office. This entire process can be done through
fax, email, and regular mail. I will send you the documents you need to
sign and you will return them to me. For collection of my fees, I accept
checks by mail or credit cards.
If you are interested in expunging or sealing your record, contact me,
a Miami expungement attorney and a Broward expungement attorney, today!