If you have ever spent any time at the beach you know that you leave a footprint in the sand for every step you take, and that as soon as the tide rolls in your footprint is erased. But in real life it is not as easy to remove all traces of where you have been and what you have done. For instance, if you are arrested for a crime or receive a traffic ticket, there is a record of that event that can be pulled up by the authorities with the click of the mouse. Depending on the severity of the charges, you might find yourself in hot water with the police if you are pulled over for another infraction. However, there are ways you can “erase” previous charges, but you have to qualify for the process. The procedure is referred to as records expungement, and with certain types of cases it removes all reference to a past incident from public view. But be careful, just because the public can no longer search your record, that does not mean certain governmental agencies and personnel no longer have access.

If you are considering asking the Court to expunge your record, call us to make sure you qualify and that the results will be what you need. This is also a good time to learn about one more piece of personal information that may soon be available to you, and how detailed your online footprint could become. Google plans to implement a feature that allows a user to see the following:

  • You will soon be able to enter your own name in the search box, while signed in to your account, and pull up a history of your activity.
  • Recent websites visited on both your PC and smartphone will be revealed.
  • A feature similar to your smartphone’s “find your phone” app will also be available, and it could help you to protect the data you have stored on your phone. This will give you more security and increase your privacy.

Police and other agencies use the internet during investigations all the time. This new feature will help you to see what others can see about you, which can be beneficial if you are facing criminal charges. More Courts and Judges are allowing the use electronic information as evidence, and knowing what the other side could potentially “dig up” on you will help to develop and effective defense.

Allow an experienced criminal defense attorney in Stuart and the Treasure Coast to help you if you have been arrested. Your first visit is a free initial consultation and we work with you to come up with a strategy that is tailored to the facts of your case.