From our attorneys
Florida law treats sealing and expunction differently, and most people can only use one of them, once. How the two differ, who is eligible, why the FDLE certificate comes first, and what happens to the record afterward.
A withhold of adjudication lets a Florida judge accept a plea without convicting you, probation instead of a conviction under § 948.01. But it is not an eraser: the record stays public, immigration law still counts it, and some charges can never receive one. Who qualifies under § 775.08435, what a withhold protects, and where it falls short.
Yes, the arrest stays visible after a dismissal. Florida's automatic sealing covers some cases and expungement covers others. See which applies to you.