How Does Expungement Work in Bexar County?

A Dismissed Charge Does Not Automatically Clear Your Record

A dismissal in the Bexar County Courts at Law or District Courts at Cadena-Reeves does not automatically clear your criminal record. The arrest and the dismissed charge remain visible on Texas DPS criminal history databases, commercial background check services, and FBI records until a Bexar County District Court issues a formal expunction order under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55. An expunction does not happen automatically — it requires a separate legal proceeding filed after the criminal case is resolved.

Eligibility for Expunction in Bexar County

You are eligible for expunction of a Bexar County arrest when the criminal case was dismissed, the prosecution was rejected, you were acquitted at trial, or you were convicted of an offense for which you were later pardoned. You are not eligible for expunction after a DWI conviction — Texas law prohibits expungement of a DWI conviction at any level. You are also not eligible for expunction if you received deferred adjudication on any charge — deferred adjudication qualifies for a non-disclosure order (sealing) instead.

The Bexar County Expunction Process

The expunction process involves:

1. Filing the petition in Bexar County District Court at Cadena-Reeves
2. Serving all agencies — SAPD, Bexar County Sheriff, BCSO, Texas DPS, FBI, and any other entity that received the arrest information
3. Conducting a hearing before the District Court judge
4. Obtaining the expunction order and serving it on all agencies
5. Destruction of records — all agencies destroy their physical and electronic records of the arrest

Once an expunction order is fully served and implemented, you can legally answer “no” on most applications that ask about criminal history. The arrest is legally destroyed — not sealed, but destroyed.

Non-Disclosure Orders (Sealing) in Bexar County

For charges resolved through deferred adjudication — available for most charges except DWI — a non-disclosure order under Government Code §411.072 may be available after completing deferred adjudication probation. A non-disclosure seals the record from public background checks but does not destroy it — law enforcement and certain licensing boards can still access it. We evaluate every available option and handle the complete filing. See our San Antonio expungement page.