Petitions For Non-Disclosure (Sealing Your Record)

A person who has successfully completed a deferred adjudication probation for a criminal offense may qualify to have the record of the deferred “sealed” from public view by filing a petition for non-disclosure. Unlike an Order Granting Expunction, an Order of Non-Disclosure attempts to seal the record from the general public - it does not order criminal justice agencies to destroy the record.

The Order can be beneficial to you in that it may prevent a potential employer, or potential landlord, from discovering your prior deferred, but law enforcement will still have access to this record. There is a waiting period for some offenses before the Court can even consider a petition for non-disclosure, and some crimes are not eligible for non-disclosure. Additionally, a subsequent conviction or deferred adjudication since the expiration of your probation may disqualify you. 

For information on whether you may qualify to have your record sealed through an Order of Non-Disclosure, contact Edward A. Jendrzey, Attorney at Law, for a free, initial consultation.