Travis County Expunction Expo Application Portal Remains Open to Help Residents Clear Old Criminal Records

TRAVIS COUNTY, TX — The Travis County Expunction Team reminds the community that there is still time to apply and prequalify for the 4th Travis County Expunction Expo taking place on Saturday, May 20, 2023. The application portal was closed this past weekend but has reopened until next Friday, April 7, 2023. Additionally, our offices expanded our capacity to help more residents have their criminal records expunged after we received a positive response in applications.

Residents who successfully complete the expunction process will improve their access to jobs, financial assistance for higher education, and housing. Since 2020, Travis County officials have helped 455 residents to clear 882 criminal charges.

The online portal to apply for the Expunction Expo is open for individuals with prior arrests in Travis County. These cases may include instances in which someone was never charged or indicted or, in some cases, if a criminal charge was dismissed or a person was acquitted, pardoned, or completed a diversion program. Their cases may still appear on a person’s criminal background check without an expunction.

Community members may gather information and apply until Friday, April 7, 2023, using the following links.

• English: https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/expunction-expo
• Español: https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/expunction-expo-spn

Applicants with questions may send an email to ExpunctionExpo@traviscountytx.gov

Applicants that may qualify for an expunction include:

• You were arrested in Travis County, but a charge was never filed or was no billed by the grand jury
• You have a criminal charge that a judge dismissed
• You successfully completed a Diversion Program, such as Pretrial Diversion, Drug Court, etc.
• You were acquitted on your charge by a judge or jury (usually by a finding of “Not Guilty”), or appellate court, or
• You were convicted of a crime but later pardoned by the Governor of Texas or the President of the United States.
  

  Applicants who do not qualify for an expunction include:

• Your case is still pending;
• You were convicted in the case you want to be expunged or erased even if you just paid a fine (convictions on other cases do not prevent expunction).
• You were placed on probation, community supervision, or deferred adjudication for any felony or Class A or B misdemeanor you want to be expunged, even if your case was later dismissed (Class C deferred prosecution is the only exception).

  Participants who prequalify will be paired with volunteer attorneys from the Travis County Law Library, Capital Area Private Defender Service, Travis County Public Defender’s Office, and Volunteer Legal Services to help them file the necessary paperwork to clear their criminal records.

  Participants will also have the option to receive free job researching services and resources from the worldwide employment company Indeed. Staff from the company will be at the expo to help create an Indeed account, draft a resume, and provide job search tips. Learn more here: http://indeed.com/fairchance [indeed.com].

  In addition, Austin Community College will have enrollment personnel on hand to answer participants’ questions about educational and workforce-training opportunities to help them get the skills they need to have rewarding careers.

  The fourth Travis County Expunction Expo is a collaboration between Travis County District Attorney José Garza, Travis County Attorney Delia Garza, Travis County District Clerk Velva L. Price, and Austin City Council Member José Velásquez, with the support from Austin Community College and Indeed.

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