If you have a criminal record, or you are worried that you may be at risk of getting a criminal record due to a current accusation made against you, privacy will probably be of high importance. You may believe that if you have a criminal record, this should be no one else’s business, and it should not affect your ability to get a job or partake in other activities.
Most of the time, information on a person’s criminal record is accessible by public entities, including law enforcement agencies, prosecutorial offices, courts and clerks of the court. This can mean that applying to jobs and progressing in a career can be extremely difficult. If you want to ensure that your criminal record does not negatively affect your future, you may want to consider getting an order of non-disclosure in Texas.
What is an order of nondisclosure?
An order of nondisclosure prohibits entities that hold certain specific information about the criminal offense on your criminal history record from disclosing that information to third parties in most cases. There are always some exceptions to this – for example, state agencies may still be able to gain information on your criminal record even if you have an order of nondisclosure in place.
Can anyone with a criminal history get an order of nondisclosure in Texas?
You must satisfy the basic requirements to successfully get an order of nondisclosure. If you have ever been convicted of certain crimes, including murder, violent crimes, trafficking of persons and crimes against a child, you are ineligible for an order of nondisclosure.
Additionally, you are ineligible if the offense for which you seek nondisclosure involved family violence, or if you were convicted of another offense after the conviction of the initial offense.
If you have a criminal record in Texas, you may be able to get a fresh start if you successfully gain an order of nondisclosure.
