If you are facing criminal charges, you have acquired a “criminal record,” which will turn up on a background check. Even if your case is dismissed or you’re found not guilty, the record of your arrest and your criminal charges will still come up on a background check. You may be concerned that your criminal case will show up on a background check when applying for a job, housing, or when trying to get into the military or apply for security clearance. You should be concerned; employers and landlords are in the routine practice of conducting background checks on applicants. The following types of information comes up on a background check:
- Arrests
- Credit scores
- Criminal charges
- Bankruptcy filings
- Criminal convictions
- Traffic infractions
- Driving records
- Employment history
- Medical conditions
- Social security numbers
- Marriages and divorces (civil cases)
- Education and professional licenses
If you have a criminal record, it will show up on a background check. So, if you have any history of arrests, criminal charges, felony or misdemeanor convictions, probation, traffic tickets, DWIs, or civil infractions, it will be revealed in a background check.
Other Ways a Criminal Record Can Affect You
Aside from affecting housing and employment, there are many other ways a criminal record can affect you. A criminal record can keep you from getting into certain colleges, from obtaining college scholarships, from getting loans from banks, from obtaining a professional license, and from playing college sports. It can also affect your ability to possess or purchase a firearm. If you establish a criminal record, you should consider getting an expunction, which removes an arrest or conviction from a person’s record. Expunctions are extremely valuable tools that should be utilized whenever possible. To learn more, read our page on expunctions in Texas. To fight your criminal charges or learn more about expunctions, contact us today!