Bill > SB2673

This bill expands the legal authority of statutory county courts in Texas regarding the expunction (complete erasure) of criminal arrest records. Currently, only district courts, justice courts, and municipal courts of record can expunge arrest records, but this legislation allows statutory county courts to also handle expunction requests for arrests related to offenses within their jurisdiction. The bill specifically enables these courts to expunge records when a person is acquitted, pardoned, or when the prosecuting attorney recommends expunction before trial. The changes apply to filing petitions, entering expunction orders, and allow close relatives of deceased individuals to file expunction requests on their behalf. Additionally, the bill introduces a $100 filing fee for expunction petitions in justice, municipal, and now statutory county courts, and clarifies that statutory county courts have concurrent jurisdiction with district courts for expunction proceedings related to offenses under their jurisdiction. The law will take effect on September 1, 2025, and applies retroactively to criminal offenses that occurred before, on, or after the effective date.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB2673