Can my criminal record ever be erased?

In Florida, under some circumstances, you may be able to have a criminal record expunged, which means that the record is no longer available for most purposes and you can deny having been arrested.  However, an expunged record may be accessed if you apply for jobs in law enforcement or involving contact with children.  You may be eligible for expungement of records relating to a single arrest if you have never been found guilty of a crime, including the offense for which you are seeking expungement.  In other words, if the charges are dismissed or you are found not guilty, you may have your records relating to an arrest expunged.  To get an expungement, you will have to obtain a certificate of eligibility for expunction from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.  After getting the certificate, you must file a court petition.  The court will decide whether to order your record expunged.  Juvenile records may be expunged in the same manner.  Also, juvenile records are expunged by the state of Florida when a juvenile offender reaches age 24 (age 26 for serious or habitual offenders).

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