Legal Question in Criminal Law in Texas

I got a public intoxication at the age of 17, will that show up on my criminal background check now that I am 21? If so, how do I clear this (expungment or try getting it sealed)?


Asked on 6/13/12, 7:30 pm

2 Answer from Attorneys

M. Elizabeth Foley The Law Office of M. Elizabeth Foley

Yes, it can show up on your record. You're actually considered an adult in Texas for criminal purposes when you turn 17, so it's not considered a juvenile case that would have restricted access. However, there is a way to expunge, or destroy, the records of this specific case even if it resulted in a conviction based on your age at the time of the offense, and the fact that it was a PI charge, as long as it's the only such charge you had as a minor (no other PIs, no MIPs, etc.). "Sealing" of adult criminal records is done through an order of nondisclosure, which is available only in certain circumstances involving deferred adjudication, so it wouldn't apply here (and of course an expunction's better, anyway).

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Answered on 6/13/12, 8:17 pm


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