Having a criminal record negatively affects one’s life in countless ways. Finding employment, obtaining professional licenses and borrowing money can become difficult or impossible. A criminal record is detrimental enough for anyone legitimately charged or convicted of a crime, but it can be even worse when the stigma is not deserved. The unfortunate reality is that criminal records are sometimes incorrect. If that has occurred in your case, you need to take effective action to correct the inaccuracy.

The State of Florida has statutory procedures that allow for expungement of invalid arrests and expungement of invalid criminal conviction records. There are many ways in which these records may be rendered inaccurate. Sometimes the records reflect the wrong offense due to a data entry error. There also may be omissions, such as when a criminal case has been dropped but there is no record of the final disposition. Also, there are situations in which the identity of the defendant reflected in the criminal history is not correct. Sometimes a person will use stolen identification when charged with a crime so that the arrest and/or conviction are in the wrong name. In the alternative, a law enforcement officer or court official might accidentally have entered the wrong name and vital information.

If you have an incorrect arrest or conviction history in Florida that is causing you setbacks in your career or personal life, then it is best to take the necessary steps to correct the records. However, expungement of criminal records (also called “expunction” in Florida) is not easy. The legal requirements are strict and the request can be contested. The state has a vested interest in making sure that criminal records are complete and accurate. Government authorities would be irresponsible in changing a citizen’s records without subjecting the request to heightened scrutiny.

Anyone petitioning for expungement should be prepared to submit extensive documentation or other evidence supporting their claim. Depending upon the nature and complexity of the errors in the records, the state may take quite a while to review the expungement petition and verify the evidence. Despite these hurdles, the negative ramifications of having a criminal history make it well worth the time and effort to fix inaccurate records. A qualified and experienced criminal expungement lawyer can guide you through the demanding process.

If you know or suspect that criminal records inaccurately reflect your arrest or conviction histories in Florida, The Law Offices of Tad A. Yates, P.A. in Orlando can help. Mr. Yates has experience in criminal records expungement and will work diligently to correct inaccuracies in your case in the shortest amount of time possible. Feel free to contact the office online or call 407-608-7777 for an initial consultation.