After being accused of stealing food from a grocery store, 19-year-old Emily struggled to make ends meet. Although the misdemeanor case was dismissed July of 2020, after she completed the District Attorney’s requirements, the arrest continued to appear on her background checks. Years later, the dismissed case was still creating barriers to employment, making it harder for her to move forward despite the case having been resolved.
Emily turned to Lone Star Legal Aid to help fully clear her record. Advocate Mariah Gorom reviewed her case and explained her legal options. Options included expunction, which allows eligible criminal records to be erased, and nondisclosure, which generally restricts public access to certain criminal history information. Because her case had been dismissed and she met the requirements for an expunction, LSLA filed a lawsuit in Galveston County to have her record cleared.
At the hearing, the District Attorney’s Office confirmed that they did not oppose the expunction. An agreed order was prepared and presented to the court, and the judge signed it in May of 2026. The court granted the client a full expunction, meaning the dismissed case was ordered to be erased from her criminal record rather than simply hidden from public view.
For Emily, clearing her record means having the opportunity to pursue employment without the dismissed case continuing to stand in her way. A case from a difficult period in her life no longer needs to define her future opportunities. With LSLA’s assistance, she can move forward with a clean criminal record and a greater opportunity to build the future she deserves.
*Name(s) have been changed to protect the client’s identity.
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org