Arrested? Not guilty? Workshop offers help getting records sealed

Broward prosecutors are looking to help hundreds of residents who were arrested and charged with a crime only to later be found not guilty.

Those arrests can still be found by investigators conducting routine background checks, which could be bad news for anyone applying for a job, a professional or state license, and even an apartment.

The Broward State Attorney’s Office is holding a free workshop on Thursday for those looking to have their arrest records sealed or expunged. Hundreds of applicants have attended past workshops on the subject.

State Attorney Harold Pryor is joining with the Clerk of Courts, the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the City of Tamarac to make the workshop available at no cost. “It can be an expensive and time-consuming process because people who are eligible may hire a private attorney, which can cost $750 to more than $1,500,” Pryor said, “and they may have to visit a few government agencies to track down the documentation they need.”

Potential applicants will find out if they are eligible to have their arrests sealed or expunged and have their paperwork ready to submit to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement once they’re finished, he said.

“I would take advantage of any of these opportunities,” said Fort Lauderdale-based reputation management expert William Lewis. “Obviously being arrested alone is a traumatic experience, but those records showing up in a background check can really hamper your search for a job or housing.”

The workshop is designed for people with a single arrest that did not result in a conviction. This includes those who were found not guilty, had their cases dropped by the prosecution, or had their adjudication withheld (such as people who completed a treatment program to resolve a misdemeanor drug offense).

The Broward State Attorney’s Office Sealing and Expungement workshop will be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 22, at the Tamarac Community Center, 8601 W. Commercial Blvd., Tamarac, FL 33351. No appointment is needed. Broward arrests only. Applicants must bring a valid, government-issued ID.