There is a great deal of activity in these areas in Texas. I handle many nondisclosures, which are limited to people given deferred adjudication for misdemeanor and felony offenses. With certain exceptions, most misdemeanor deferred adjudications can be ordered nondisclosed, that is, law enforcement agencies can be ordered not to disclose the record of arrest to anyone other than law enforcement. There is no time limit required on most misdemeanors. Felony arrests must wait 5 years from the date the judge signs the order dismissing the defendant from supervision.

Expungement is an erasure of all records relating to the arrest of an individual in Texas. It is much more difficult to obtain, as the person requesting the expungement must not have been convicted of the offense, or given deferred adjudication. In effect, the case must have been dismissed for lack of evidence, or a few other reasons set forth in the statute.

For these reasons, I always try my hardest to obtain deferred sentences for all of my clients, especially my young clients.