Coral Gables Expungement Attorney

What Is Expungement? 

Expungement is the legal process of physically destroying court, police, and state agency records associated with an arrest. Once a judge signs an expungement order, law enforcement agencies must destroy their official files, and the court clerk removes all references to the case from public access. 

In most cases, an expungement allows you to lawfully deny that the arrest ever occurred. We can review your case history, handle communications with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), draft the required petition and affidavits, and represent you at court hearings to pursue the relief you deserve.

What Crimes Can Be Expunged in Florida?

Many crimes are eligible for expungement, as long as they didn’t result in a conviction. These may include:   

• Dismissed charges. Cases dismissed by a judge prior to trial.
• Dropped charges (nolle prosequi). Cases where state prosecutors declined to pursue charges or filed a dismissal notice.
• No action filings. Arrests where the State Attorney's Office decided not to file formal criminal charges after an arrest.
• Acquittals. Cases that proceeded to a bench or jury trial and resulted in a “not guilty” verdict.
• Previously sealed records. Charges where the court withheld adjudication and the record was sealed for at least ten years without subsequent criminal convictions.

Understanding Florida’s Lifetime Limit on Expungement & Sealing

State law generally allows you to seal or expunge only one criminal record in your lifetime. If you have more than one eligible case, you only get to choose one, unless the charges stem from the same arrest or a closely related incident. 

Because this opportunity cannot be repeated, deciding which record to clear requires clear legal guidance to maximize the benefit to your career and personal standing. We can help you weigh your options carefully to make an informed choice. 

Eligibility Requirements for Record Expungement in Florida 

Qualifying for record expungement requires meeting strict statutory conditions under Fla. Stat. § 943.0585. A single disqualifying factor will cause the FDLE or the court to deny your petition. The eligibility requirements include: 

• No prior convictions. You must not have been found guilty or adjudicated guilty of any criminal offense. 
• No prior sealing or expungement. You must not have previously sealed or expunged a criminal history record in the state.
• No pending criminal charges. You must not currently have any active criminal charges or pending court proceedings against you.
• Valid FDLE certificate. You must obtain an official Certificate of Eligibility directly from the FDLE.
• Complete discretionary relief. The underlying case must have been fully resolved without a formal conviction, and you must have completed all terms of any pre-trial diversion or court supervision.

Our team can conduct a thorough pre-petition review to verify that your record meets these legal standards before submitting your application.

Does Expungement Remove My Record from Google & Background Check Sites?

Expungement requires government agencies to destroy copies of your record, but it doesn’t remove information already copied by private data aggregators, background check companies, or mugshot websites. These sites often collect arrest information before a case is resolved and don’t automatically update once expungement is granted.

Clearing your official record is the first step, but it isn’t always the last one. Attorney Jonathan Blecher can advise you on additional steps to address these private sites once your expungement is granted to prevent outdated mugshots or background reports from jeopardizing future job opportunities and restore your public reputation.