Expungement Attorney in Bluegrove, Texas – Bluegrove Experienced Lawyers Expunging Your Record

If you have a criminal record, chances are that you have experienced the frustration of being refused certain employment, having had your rental application denied or been turned down by the school you hoped to attend. It is difficult for anyone with a criminal record, and especially someone with a felony conviction, to be fully reintegrated into society and to enjoy the same opportunities available to most everyone else.

An expungement provides a second chance for those individuals who have completed their probation and not served any state prison time. The expungement process can be difficult and exasperating in some cases and it may often take reasoned arguments by an experienced expungement lawyer along with supporting documentation to get you the relief you want. Our expert expungement attorneys have the real life experience you will need to have your conviction set aside and your records cleared or made inaccessible to the general public. Do it right the first time and you will save valuable time and money and have the satisfaction of once again having a chance for a brighter future.

There are other options available to you for post-conviction relief that an attorney from the Expungement Law Group can advise you on if applicable to your case including record sealing, early termination of probation, reduction of a felony to a misdemeanor, obtaining a Certificate of Rehabilitation and Governor’s Pardon along with expungement.

Expunging Your Conviction

Expungement in Bluegrove, Texas does not mean the destruction of your records since law enforcement and the courts will retain these records to be used under certain circumstances. It does, though, enable the court to reopen your case and dismiss your conviction provided certain conditions have been met. Our attorneys will retrieve your records containing your conviction, sentencing and release from probation dates before filing a 1203. 4 or 1203.4a Petition with the court where your plea or conviction was obtained. All applicable documents are filed and served on the court, district attorney and probation department. A hearing date is set. If there is no opposition, then no court appearance is generally required.

Some infraction, misdemeanor, felony offenses can be expunged including:

• Drug possession and other drug related crimes
• Marijuana possession
• Domestic violence
• Theft
• Burglary
• Robbery
• DUI, DWI, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Prostitution & Sex Crimes
• Indecent exposure
• Stolen property offenses, petty theft, shoplifting
• Assault, assault with a deadly weapon, battery
• And much more... Please call 1-888-754-9877 to find out if you qualify.

Post-Conviction Relief

There are a number of post-conviction options available to you that can enable you to have a second chance and enjoy the opportunities denied you because of your criminal record. These include the following:

• Misdemeanor Expungement

Infractions, misdemeanors and felonies can be expunged provided you only received probation and did not serve any state prison time. Also, your offense cannot have involved a sexual crime involving a minor. In some cases, even if you violated your probation, you may still be able to receive an expungement order. An expungement effectively dismisses your conviction and allows you to lawfully state under oath on most employment, rental housing and school applications that you have never been convicted of a crime.

• Felony Expungement

As indicated, a felony can be expunged so long as you did not serve any state prison time and you have completed all the terms and provisions of your probation. If you did serve time in state prison, your other option is a Certificate of Rehabilitation. You may have to wait at least 7 years before applying but you are automatically eligible for a Governor’s Pardon and it does allow you to now apply for state and vocational licenses for which you were previously prohibited.

• Early Probation Termination

Many probation periods are 3 or 5 years. Regardless of how long, though, after you have successfully served at least half of it, you may apply for early termination. An expungement lawyer from our office can prepare your request and obtain letters of support or evidence of rehabilitation along with a statement as to why you should be granted early termination. Once it is granted, we can begin the expungement process.

• Reducing Your Felony to a Misdemeanor

In many instances, a felony can be later reduced to a misdemeanor pursuant to Penal Code Section 17(B). This would include those offenses considered “wobblers” wherein the district attorney has the discretion to charge you with either a felony or misdemeanor. Reducing your conviction to a misdemeanor restores your right to possess and own firearms for example and can eliminate potential immigration problems. It can also ease and expedite the expungement process. An expungement attorney from our office can offer this service to you as part of our representation.

• Record Sealing

Another form of post-conviction relief pertains to sealing your arrest records or juvenile and drug diversion records. Arrest records may be sealed provided charges were either dismissed or you were never prosecuted. Under Bluegrove, Texas Penal Code Section 858.1, your arrest records may be sealed and not publicly accessible but only if a court determines that no reasonable cause exists to believe that you committed the offense for which you were charged. Prosecutors have discretion whether to charge you though there may be evidence that seemingly appears sufficient to link you to the crime. If a judge feels that there was probable or “reasonable” cause to believe you committed the crime regardless if you were charged, then your arrest records may not be sealed. An expungement attorney from the Expungement Law Group will review the facts of your arrest and advise you whether they meet the standard for sealing.

Juvenile records are often not available to the general public but it is worthwhile to have them sealed nonetheless to avoid any potential problems you may encounter as an adult. You must be at least 18 years old, or the juvenile court’s jurisdiction ended at least 5 years earlier, did not commit any crimes involving moral turpitude and have no pending criminal charges, and you present evidence of rehabilitation.

Drug diversion is available usually for first time offenders charged with possession. Once you successfully complete all terms and conditions in the diversion program, you can petition the court to have your arrest and other records sealed.

Contact Us to Get Started

An expungement lawyer from our office is available to discuss your case at no charge for an initial consultation. You can call us to discuss your case or schedule an appointment where we can determine which form of post-conviction relief may be available to you. Once you retain us, we will work quickly and diligently to get your documents filed and served and to get your life back on track towards a better future for you and your family.

About Bluegrove

Bluegrove is an unincorporated community on Farm to Market Road 172 11 miles southeast of Henrietta in central Clay County, Texas, United States.

Early settlers named the area for the post oak trees that appeared blue from a distance at certain times of the day. The Bluegrove Baptist Church was established in 1878 by families living in the area around what would become the town, and is the oldest permanent Baptist church in Wichita, Archer, and Clay Counties. The church originally met in the school before constructing a church building at its present location in 1893. J.L. Russell was among the earliest settlers before there was a town, homesteading a mile south of the present day community. He was a founder of the Bluegrove Baptist Church, and donated the northeast corner of his land for the creation of the Bluegrove Cemetery, one mile due south of the community. Bluegrove also had a Methodist church and Church of Christ, which have since disbanded. The Bluegrove Community Center, which houses numerous historical photographs, is located in the old Methodist Church.

Though settlers began homesteading in the area in the 1870s leading to the founding of the school and church before there was a town, settlement of the town began after 1882 when E.A. Copp, L.B. Brown, and E.M. Childs divided into lots the land where their original homesteads intersected and sold them to settlers to create Blue Grove, later changed to its current spelling by the postal service. A.W. Flinn established a general store and Bluegrove quickly became an economic hub for local farmers and ranchers. In 1895, Bluegrove received its post office, which is still in operation. The town at one time contained a blacksmith shop, garage, laundromat, pharmacy, several doctor's offices, hardware store, automobile and tractor dealership, movie theater, and numerous other businesses. Passed by major thoroughfares and railroads, most of the businesses were destroyed by a major fire in 1942, and due to the hard times of the Great Depression, boys going off to fight in WWII, and easier transportation most businesses either did not rebuild or chose to relocate to Henrietta. Bluegrove reached a population high in the 1920s of 240, but declined throughout the 20th Century and reported a population of 125 at century's end. The town remains a farming and ranching community. Founded in 1938 and still headquartered in Bluegrove the J-A-C Electric Cooperative serves Jack, Archer, and Clay counties.

The Bluegrove School was founded by 1878, and went through the 11th Grade and competed against neighboring schools in baseball, basketball, volleyball, and track. The school closed in 1941 when the surrounding communities consolidated to form the Midway Independent School District. Due to World War II construction of Midway I.S.D. was not completed until 1947, so students were bussed to Bluegrove which served as Midway until the new building opened. School buildings from the other communities were moved to Bluegrove to house the consolidated students. The school is called Midway because it is located "midway" between Bluegrove to the north and Joy to the south. The old Bluegrove gymnasium built in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) is the only building left, and is now the warehouse for the J-A-C Electric Cooperative.