Florida Expungements - How to Expunge Your Criminal Arrest Record
Is your arrest an Orlando, Florida public record? Is it a public record at all? Will your arrest show up in a background check? Attorney Eric J. Dirga will answer these questions and represent you for the purpose of expunging your criminal arrest record. He has helped people all over the world expunge their criminal records throughout the State of Florida.
We can help you determine if you are eligible to have your record sealed or expunged with a simple and free phone call. We have been expunging criminal records with service throughout the State of Florida for over ten years.
Statewide Florida Representation for Expungements
Begin to seal or expunge your criminal arrest record today before the day arrives that requires an expungement in an unrealistic amount of time (most sealings and expungements take between 6 and 8 months to complete). A single arrest can have devastating results to your career, salary, and job placement, especially if your are between jobs, just graduating college or high school, or looking for a promotion. Don't let that mistake haunt you for the rest of your life. By having a criminal arrest history Sealed (Sealing Criminal Records) or Expunged (Expunge Record) the Florida Legislature allows you to legally state that you have not been convicted or arrested for that particular offense.
Your Expunged Record: Getting Started...
Step ONE: What do you need to have done?
Determine what type of expungement (expunge record) or sealing (seal record) you really need. If you have never been arrested but have an arrest or arrests appearing on your criminal history background check, then go to the Correct Your Criminal Record page. If you were arrested due to a mistake (for example, arrested on a warrant for a person with the same name as you) then go to Administrative Expungements page. If you are a juvenile (under 18 years of age) please go to the Juvenile Seal and Expunge page first. If you were arrested for any other reason please continue on to Step Two.
Step TWO: Qualifying - are there any disqualifiers?
The next thing needed to be done is to run a background check on yourself through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement [FDLE] to see if you qualify. But before you do that ask yourself these questions:
- Have I ever been adjudicated "delinquent" of a crime as a juvenile?
- Have I ever been adjudicated "guilty" of a crime as an adult? (or was adjudication withheld)
- If I pled guilty or no contest for the arrest I want sealed (seal record) or expunged (expunge record) did the judge adjudicate me "guilty" or "delinquent" of any charge against me?
- Have I ever sealed or expunged a prior arrest record anywhere before today?
(Many people are confused about what it means to be adjudicated guilty. Just because you pled "guilty" or were "found" to be guilty does not mean you were adjudicated guilty. A judge must adjudicate you guilty or "withhold" adjudication when he/she sentences you. If you are confused you can check with the clerks office in the courthouse where your case was handled or run a background check on yourself. Please read on.)
If you answered "no" to all of those questions you probably can seal or expunge your record. If you answered "yes" to any of those questions go to the Expungement FAQs page and see if any questions you have are answered there. If you still have questions email us and send me a detailed description of the events that made you answer "yes" to the above question(s) or just give us a call and we can probably clear up the confusion. For those who answered "no" to all the questions and are positive of your answers go to Step Three.
If you are not sure then run a background check on yourself through FDLE. It costs $23 and can be found by going to our Background Check page. Choose to have the results emailed to you if possible and then "cut and paste" the results in an email to our office (ejdirga@ejdirga.com) or fax them to (407) 841-9090. This will allow us to evaluate your chances of a successful seal or expunge of your record before you pay us an initial fee.
If you would like our Office to do an in depth check and see if you qualify we can do that. We charge a flat fee of $199 to determine your qualification to receive a Certificate of Eligibility from FDLE. All we need to get started on this is the information from the Get Started page and payment. Results usually take 2-3 weeks and you will be notified in writing. If qualified, $125 will be put toward your legal fee to seal or expunge your record.
Step THREE: Providing Information to Get Started
Go to the Get Started page and submit the information requested. Be specific and do not guess. This will complete the information we require to begin the process of sealing or expunging your record.
Step FOUR: Legal Fees
Evaluation (optional): We will evaluate your situation in advance for a fee of $199 to determine if you qualify (call first - we can usually figure it out over the phone for free). This procedure may not be necessary if you are sure of the circumstances regarding your arrest record. If you are not sure the $199 spent may save you hundreds of dollars in attorney fees and costs.
Legal Fees and Costs: We will explain all fees and costs to you in person or over the phone if requested. Total out of pocket cost to you runs about $950 to $1,050 but we do not ask for that amount all up front. Our current billing structure to seal or expunge a criminal history can be found at the Legal Fees page. Please review our fee structure before continuing. If you have a question about a legal fee or cost please contact us or ask before hiring us. Step Four requires the receipt of the current initial legal fee payment of $425.
Our legal fees are subject to change. For actual fees go to our Legal Fees page.
Step FIVE: The Wait . . .
Return all documents you receive following the instructions, check your email periodically, and relax. We will take care of everything else.
Note: There is no expedited process. We cannot make one expungement or sealing occur faster than another. If you require an expedited process we cannot do it - nor can any one else. The bureaucracy is the machine we are working with...
Experience Counts
In 1997-8 Eric J. Dirga worked in the appellate division of the Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office where he handled all seal and expunge petitions for both Orange County and Osceola County. During his tenure he handled many hundreds of petitions.
In private practice he has assisted hundreds of individuals clean their record. He has extensive knowledge of the law in this area and is willing to assist anyone who desires his representation. Remember that not all attorneys are experienced in this procedure. Filing mistakes and forgotten forms will delay the court from sealing or expunging your record by weeks or even months. Additionally, lack of knowledge may cause another attorney to mistakenly tell you that he/she cannot seal or expunge your record. We are very experienced, very knowledgeable, and our legal fees are reasonable.
Call us to get started - (407) 841-5555