Dallas County is holding its sixth annual Expunction Expo. The event allows people with a criminal history to possibly have their records expunged or deleted.
Last year’s Expunction Expo brought in 1,300 applications, the most received in one week. The district attorney’s office reports that nearly half of all applicants were chosen and invited to participate in that expo.
The expo is a collaborative effort between the Dallas County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, the Dallas County District Clerk’s Office, and the Dallas County Public Defender’s Office.
Applications for criminal records to be expunged will be accepted until July 11. The form can be filled out here.
If any of the following applies, Dallas County can expunge a criminal record:
- You were arrested, but a charge was never filed, was no-billed by the grand jury, or was rejected by the district attorney’s office.
- Your felony, Class A misdemeanor, or Class B misdemeanor charge was dismissed without any community supervision or probation before the dismissal.
- Your Class C misdemeanor was dismissed, or you completed Class C deferred adjudication.
- You were acquitted (found “not guilty”) of your charge by a judge, jury, or appellate court.
- You were convicted of a crime but later pardoned by the Texas governor or the United States president.
- You were convicted before September 1, 2021, of unlawfully carrying a weapon under Section 46.02(a) of the Penal Code.
If your criminal history falls under the following circumstances, you are not eligible for expunction:
- The case is still pending.
- You were convicted in the case, even if you only paid a fine.
- You received probation, community supervision, or deferred adjudication for the felony, Class A misdemeanor, or Class B misdemeanor that you want to be expunged, even if your case was later dismissed.
- The case you want to be expunged is a felony, and you were arrested for another offense at the same time that resulted in a conviction, probation, community supervision, or deferred adjudication.
Only Dallas offenses can be considered. Participants will be notified by phone on September 12 if they qualify for an expunction and can participate in the 2022 Expunction Expo. Those granted expunctions will be celebrated at a graduation ceremony on January 21, 2023.
