How can criminal records be sealed/expunged?
There are very strict criteria for sealing or expunging court records. If you have been charged, but not convicted of a misdemeanor or felony offense, because adjudication was withheld or the state declined to prosecute, and you have not had any other court record sealed or expunged in the state, you may be eligible. By Florida law, there are specific charges that cannot be sealed or expunged, regardless of whether or not adjudication was withheld. Pronounced differences exist between a sealed record and a record that has been expunged. A sealed record could be opened for inspection by you, your attorney, a criminal justice agency and, in specific situations, a prospective employer. An expunged record would no longer exist, since the file and any references to it, are destroyed. The Clerk’s office has a packet, available at no charge that provides you with detailed instructions on the regulations governing the sealing and expungement of court files. There are fees, which will be charge
