Texas Expungement (Expunction), Nondisclosure & Court Record Removal
Texas offers two distinct forms of criminal record relief: expunction (commonly called expungement) and orders of nondisclosure. Texas expunction under Chapter 55 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is one of the most powerful legal remedies in the country - it results in the complete physical destruction of all records related to the arrest. An order of nondisclosure, available to those who completed deferred adjudication probation, seals records from most public access without full destruction. Either way, obtaining legal relief in Texas does not automatically solve the internet problem. Search engines, legal databases, and data broker sites all hold copies of your record that persist independently of what the Texas court system does. This guide covers both relief pathways in detail and explains how to address the online records that neither pathway automatically reaches.
By Anthony WillEst. 2013Published May 27, 2026Published May 27, 2026Read time: 17 min
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Nondisclosure is available for individuals who successfully completed deferred adjudication community supervision (probation). Deferred adjudication means the court deferred a finding of guilt, placed the defendant on community supervision, and upon successful completion, dismissed the case without a formal conviction.
Nondisclosure Waiting Periods (as of 2026)
Felonies: Generally 5 years after discharge from community supervision before filing for nondisclosure (some serious felonies are excluded entirely).
Misdemeanors (most): 2 years after discharge, or immediately upon discharge for many misdemeanor categories under recent reforms.
DWI first offense (misdemeanor): 2 years after discharge, subject to specific requirements including no prior criminal history.
Automatic nondisclosure for certain offenses: Texas HB 3016 (2017) and subsequent legislation created automatic nondisclosure pathways for some first-time, low-level offenses after successful completion of deferred adjudication - no petition filing required.
Excluded from nondisclosure entirely: offenses requiring sex offender registration, capital felonies, family violence offenses, stalking, trafficking, certain aggravated offenses, and others listed in § 411.074.
What Records Can Be Removed in Texas?
Record Type / Platform
Legal Relief Available?
Online Removal Possible?
Acquittal / dismissal / no charges
Yes - Chapter 55 expunction
Possible with expunction order
Deferred adjudication completed (felony)
Nondisclosure after 5-yr wait
Possible after nondisclosure order
Deferred adjudication completed (misdemeanor)
Nondisclosure - often immediate
Possible with nondisclosure order
Class C misdemeanor deferred adjudication
Expunction available upon completion
Strong removal claim
Conviction (adjudication of guilt)
Not eligible for expunction/nondisclosure
Suppression/management only
search.txcourts.gov / county clerk portals
Restricted after expunction/nondisclosure
Cannot fully remove official portals
CourtListener, Justia, FindLaw
N/A (private platforms)
Often possible with certified order
Data brokers (Spokeo, BeenVerified)
N/A
Opt-out + removal requests effective
Why Your Texas Record Still Shows Online After Expunction or Nondisclosure
Texas expunction is extraordinarily thorough within the official system - DPS destroys its records, the arresting agency shreds its files, and the court clerk removes the case from public access. But none of those actions reach the servers of private companies that scraped and indexed Texas court records years before your case was resolved.
The Texas Online Records portal (search.txcourts.gov), maintained by the Office of Court Administration, provides public access to appellate and some trial court records. Individual county clerk portals - including Harris County District Clerk, Dallas County District Clerk, and Bexar County District Clerk - maintain their own publicly searchable databases. These portals update after expunction or nondisclosure orders are served, but the timeline varies, and data already scraped by third-party sites remains in those databases until specifically requested for removal.
CourtListener indexes Texas federal and appellate decisions. Justia publishes Texas opinions and case data. BeenVerified, Spokeo, and similar data brokers compile public arrest records, court docket entries, and news archives into searchable profiles. None of these platforms receive automated feeds from the Texas court system, and none are legally required to update their data based on Texas expunction or nondisclosure orders - at least not without a specific, documented request.
Expert Insight
"Texas expunction is arguably the gold standard of legal relief - if you qualify, the official record is gone. But 'gone from the state' and 'gone from the internet' are two completely different things. We regularly work with Texas clients who completed successful expunctions 12, 18, 24 months ago and are still the top result for their name because CourtListener or a news archive hasn't been addressed."
- Anthony Will, CEO & Co-Founder, Reputation Resolutions
How to Remove Your Texas Record from Google: Step-by-Step
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Obtain certified copies of your expunction or nondisclosure order
Request multiple certified copies from the district court clerk at the time of issuance. You will need these when submitting removal requests. Platforms require proof of the legal order - screenshots or uncertified documents are typically insufficient.
2
Audit all search results and third-party sources
Search your full name plus city, arrest year, and offense type in Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo. Identify every URL showing your record. Common sources in Texas: search.txcourts.gov pages, county clerk portal pages, CourtListener, Justia, FindLaw, local news archives, and data broker profiles (BeenVerified, Spokeo, TruthFinder).
3
Submit removal requests to each third-party platform
For legal databases (CourtListener, Justia, FindLaw), submit written requests with a certified copy of your expunction or nondisclosure order. For data brokers, use each platform's opt-out or deletion request form and reference your legal order. For local news sites, contact editorial staff directly - some have policies on removal for expunged records.
4
Confirm county clerk portal updates
Check that Harris, Dallas, Bexar, or your specific county clerk portal has updated the case record status. If it still shows publicly, contact the clerk's office with your certified order and request that the case be restricted from public access.
5
Submit Google Personal Information Removal Tool requests
After source pages have been removed or restricted, submit Google removal requests for any remaining indexed URLs. Attach evidence that the underlying page has been removed or restricted. Google typically processes requests within 2–6 weeks.
6
Follow up persistently and document all correspondence
Many platforms require follow-up. Keep records of every request, response, and confirmation. If a platform refuses a documented expunction request, escalation options include legal demand letters, regulatory complaints, and professional reputation management services.
Texas-Specific Sites Where Records Commonly Appear
search.txcourts.gov: The Texas Judiciary's public case search portal for appellate court records. Maintained by the Office of Court Administration.
Harris County District Clerk (hcdistrictclerk.com): Houston-area court records - one of the most-indexed county clerk portals in Texas due to Harris County's population.
Dallas County District Clerk (dallascounty.org): Comprehensive public criminal and civil case search.
Bexar County District Clerk (bexar.org): Covers San Antonio; active public case search system.
Texas Department of Public Safety sex offender registry: dps.texas.gov - updated separately from court records; requires specific petition for removal if applicable.
CourtListener Texas filings: Federal Fifth Circuit and Texas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals decisions indexed extensively.
Local news archives: Texas has a robust local news ecosystem. Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, San Antonio Express-News all maintain deep online archives of crime and court coverage.
Attorney vs. Reputation Management in Texas
You need a Texas criminal defense attorney if:
You have not yet filed for expunction or nondisclosure and need an eligibility assessment.
You completed deferred adjudication and need to determine whether your specific offense qualifies for nondisclosure given the exclusion list in § 411.074.
The state is opposing your expunction petition.
You need guidance on automatic nondisclosure eligibility under recent legislative changes.
You need a reputation management company if:
You have an expunction or nondisclosure order but your record still appears prominently online.
One or more platforms have ignored or denied your removal requests.
You need systematic, managed removal across all platforms, not piecemeal outreach.
Background checks are returning data from third-party aggregators that haven't updated despite your legal order.
Can your Texas court record be removed from Google? Find out — free.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between expunction and nondisclosure in Texas?
Texas expunction under Chapter 55 CCP results in the complete physical destruction of all records - they are obliterated from law enforcement files, court records, and state repositories. You may legally deny the arrest occurred. An order of nondisclosure under Government Code § 411.071–411.082 seals records from public view but does not destroy them - certain government agencies and licensing boards retain access. Nondisclosure applies to completed deferred adjudication; expunction requires acquittal, dismissal, or no charges filed (with limited exceptions for Class C misdemeanors).
Can employers see records after nondisclosure in Texas?
Most private employers cannot access records after a Texas order of nondisclosure. However, criminal justice agencies, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, school districts, the Texas Education Agency, licensed healthcare facilities, and certain other state agencies are exempt from nondisclosure and retain access. If you apply for employment in these sectors, the sealed record may still surface. Background check companies that already cached the data before the nondisclosure order may also still show it until specifically contacted.
How do I get a Texas court record removed from Google?
First, obtain your expunction or nondisclosure order with certified copies. Then submit documented removal requests to each third-party platform showing your record - CourtListener, Justia, county clerk portal data, and data broker sites. Once source pages are removed or restricted, submit Google Personal Information Removal Tool requests for remaining indexed URLs. Google typically processes these within 2 to 6 weeks, but the source page must no longer be publicly accessible for de-indexing to be permanent.
Does expunction in Texas clear all online records?
No. Texas expunction is thorough within the official government and court system - physical destruction of records is required. But it does not reach the internet. Third-party legal databases, news archives, data broker sites, and Google's search index operate independently. After expunction, each online platform must be separately contacted with a certified copy of your expunction order to request removal. The official record is destroyed; the internet's copy persists until you take deliberate action on each platform.
How long does Texas expunction take?
A Texas expunction petition is filed in the district court of the county of arrest. After filing, the court sets a hearing - typically 30 to 60 days out. If uncontested, the judge signs the order at the hearing. Respondent agencies (DPS, arresting agency, court records, TCIC/NCIC) are then served and required to comply. Total timeline from filing to confirmed record destruction: 3 to 6 months is typical. Complex or contested cases can take longer. Work with a Texas criminal defense attorney to ensure the petition is correctly filed and all required agencies are properly served.
How much does Texas expunction or nondisclosure cost?
Texas expunction court filing fees vary by county but typically range from $300 to $450. Additional costs include certified copies (~$25–$50), service of process fees for each respondent agency, and attorney fees if you hire counsel (commonly $1,500–$3,500 for a standard uncontested expunction). Orders of nondisclosure are less expensive - filing fees run approximately $280–$400. Some Class C misdemeanor automatic nondisclosures under § 411.0731 do not require a court filing at all, reducing cost to zero. Total out-of-pocket for a contested or complex case with attorney representation can exceed $5,000.
What offenses qualify for nondisclosure under Texas deferred adjudication?
Texas Government Code § 411.072–411.082 governs nondisclosure eligibility after deferred adjudication. Most misdemeanors are eligible after a 2-year waiting period (or immediately for Class A/B misdemeanors with no waiting period if successfully discharged). Most nonviolent, non-registerable felonies become eligible after a 5-year waiting period. Key disqualifying offenses include: family violence offenses, sex offenses requiring registration, murder and aggravated assault, stalking, trafficking, and DWI convictions. Even if your offense is otherwise eligible, the court has discretion to deny nondisclosure if it is not "in the best interest of justice."
Can a Texas DWI conviction be expunged or sealed?
A DWI conviction (not deferred adjudication - an actual conviction) cannot be expunged in Texas. DWI is also specifically excluded from nondisclosure under § 411.0736 - with one narrow exception: a first-offense DWI with a BAC below 0.15, no accident, and a sentence of community supervision, may qualify for nondisclosure under § 411.0736 after a 2-year waiting period (5 years if the case involved a deep lung device requirement). This 2017 law change opened a limited path for first-time DWI offenders. Second or subsequent DWI convictions, DWI with a child passenger, and intoxication assault or manslaughter are permanently excluded.