How to Become an Expungement Lawyer in Florida

An expungement lawyer in Florida is an attorney who helps individuals remove or seal criminal history records under Florida Statutes §§ 943.0585 and 943.059. a lawyer’s office or a courtroom, focusing on the scales of justice.

This specialty centers on eligibility evaluation, petition preparation, FDLE certification, judicial filings, and ensuring that expunged information is properly updated across state and private background-check databases.

Because Florida’s public-records environment preserves arrest information across multiple systems, expungement work requires careful procedural execution and thorough record review.

This field suits attorneys who prefer detail-oriented work, structured timelines, and direct client impact in employment and licensing matters.

What Florida Expungement Lawyers Do

Florida expungement lawyers manage the full sequence of statutory and administrative steps required to clear a record.

They review arrest histories, interpret eligibility criteria, prepare affidavits and petitions, coordinate the FDLE Certificate of Eligibility, and file petitions in circuit courts.

They also communicate with prosecutors, clerks, and judges when procedural questions arise.

After a court grants an expungement or sealing order, lawyers verify that updates appear in FDLE and county databases and often help clients address outdated entries in private background-check systems, which commonly retain older versions of arrest data.

Some attorneys focus almost exclusively on this area to improve efficiency and consistency.

David Weisselberger from Erase The Case, for example, is known in Florida for concentrating his practice entirely on expungement and sealing cases, illustrating a broader trend toward specialization in high-volume procedural work.

Because Florida’s expungement process is highly structured rather than adversarial, accuracy, timing, and compliance with statutory requirements are central responsibilities for the attorney.

Educational Requirements

To become an expungement lawyer in Florida, the required steps include:

• Completing a bachelor’s degree
• Earning a Juris Doctor (JD) from an ABA-accredited law school
• Passing the Florida Bar Examination
• Completing the character and fitness review
• Meeting continuing legal education (CLE) obligations

Students targeting this field typically take courses such as Criminal Procedure, Administrative Law, Florida Constitutional Law, Data Privacy, and Legal Research and Writing.

Many gain early experience through law-school expungement clinics or reentry programs that introduce eligibility screening and petition preparation.

Skills Needed for Florida Expungement Practice

Expungement lawyers rely on several key competencies:

• Statutory interpretation, as eligibility rules in Florida are detailed and applied strictly.
• Administrative coordination, since FDLE, county clerks, and law enforcement each play roles in the process.
• Precise legal drafting, including petitions, affidavits, and proposed orders that must satisfy specific filing standards.
• Multi-system record research, because attorneys must examine data across FDLE, clerk systems, and other public sources.
• Attention to procedural detail, given that expungement follows a defined sequence and errors cause delays.
• Clear client communication, particularly regarding eligibility limits, timelines, and post-order expectations.

Why Florida’s Expungement System Is Unique

Florida’s expungement structure differs from many states and makes specialization valuable:

• FDLE maintains a centralized criminal-history repository, and updates must be processed through its certification system.
• Most individuals receive only one expungement or sealing, making eligibility analysis critical.
• Arrest records remain public unless expunged, regardless of whether charges were dismissed or dropped.
• Private background-check companies retain independent copies of arrest data, which do not automatically update after a court order.

Because of these features, expungement lawyers must understand both the legal process and how criminal data moves across public and private systems.

How to Gain Experience in Florida Expungement Law

Aspiring attorneys can build relevant experience through law-school expungement clinics, internships with criminal-defense firms, judicial internships, and pro bono initiatives supported by The Florida Bar.

Legal-aid organizations also offer opportunities to assist with FDLE applications, petition drafting, and communicating with clerks and courts.

These experiences help new lawyers develop practical familiarity with eligibility analysis and multi-agency coordination.

How to Build a Florida Expungement Practice

New attorneys benefit from studying Florida’s statutory requirements, learning the FDLE’s Certificate of Eligibility process, and developing standardized templates for petitions and affidavits.

Understanding county-to-county filing variations improves efficiency, as expungement cases follow predictable procedural patterns.

Familiarity with private background-check databases is also essential, since clients frequently encounter persistent records even after a court order is granted.

Is Expungement Law a Good Career Path in Florida?

Expungement law offers a stable and meaningful pathway for attorneys who enjoy structured legal work and minimal courtroom litigation.

Demand remains strong due to widespread employer reliance on background checks and the persistence of outdated information in commercial databases.

The combination of predictable workflow and significant client impact makes this specialty appealing for lawyers seeking a focused area of practice.

Final Thoughts

Becoming an expungement lawyer in Florida requires proficiency in statutory interpretation, administrative procedure, and the dynamics of criminal-record data across multiple systems.

Attorneys who pursue this specialty develop skills at the intersection of criminal law, administrative practice, and data governance.

For those who value organized, detail-driven legal work with clear client outcomes, expungement law represents a rewarding and steadily growing career path.