Tennessee is one of the most difficult states in which to erase your criminal record Consequently, an expungement is difficult to obtain. There are only limited instances where you can get your criminal record expunged in Tennessee. The rules regarding Tennessee expungements are the same for both felonies and misdemeanors.

Expunging your criminal record in Tennessee is difficult but certainly not impossible. There are a variety of situations where erasing your criminal record and expunging damaging information can legally occur. Dismissed charges can always be expunged in Tennessee. A criminal expungement attorney can do a records search for you to find the dismissed charges against you, the relevant indictment or warrant numbers, and the name under which you were charged (to avoid problems by perhaps missing aliases in the criminal database). Once this due diligence is completed, an expungement lawyer can then complete the necessary request and court order and submit it to the clerk in the county in Tennessee where you were charged. The request is then sent to the district attorney’s office to determine whether there is any state opposition to the expungement.

You can also expunge your record if you entered into a pre-trial or post-trial diversion plea agreement. However, you can only apply to get your record expunged once you fully complete the requirements of your diversion. Unlike expungement for a dismissal, where at most you might owe some court costs, there is a court fee to get your charge expunged after completing diversion. Criminal charges and convictions can negatively affect you in the future if they are not fully expunged, even if they are part of a diversion agreement, or a plea under advisement. It is vital that you retain an expungement attorney who does a complete criminal record search to make sure all charges that can be erased from your record are expunged. A well-trained expungement lawyer will do a thorough criminal record search with your date of birth and complete name, leaving no stone unturned to ensure that every possible criminal record that can be expunged is completely erased. It does you little good to miss an expungeable charge and end up with a partial expungement that will still show up on background checks.

It is important that you start the process as soon as possible. Obtaining an expungement can sometimes take months to complete depending on the county where you were charged. This makes it vital to retain an attorney fluent in the criminal system to ensure that your expungement is handled correctly the first time. It is important to make sure your record is fully expunged before you seek a new job or apply to college or a technical school. Whether it is a shoplifting or a felony expungement you are seeking, the process is the same. A knowledgeable criminal lawyer familiar with the Tennessee expungement process is definitely your best bet.

Though difficult, getting an expungement in Tennessee is not impossible. Once you obtain an expungement, Tennessee state law requires there be no physical evidence you were ever charged or convicted. Expert counsel and a committed effort are necessary make sure your record is clean. Getting an expungement in Tennessee can be a trying process. Good counsel is your best bet.

If you would like to inquire about expunging your record, please use the contact form below.