If you have a theft charge in Texas, you may be eligible to fight your charge and have it removed from your record. Do not let a past theft charge dictate your future by preventing you from passing background checks for employment or housing. Successfully clearing your Texas theft charge may open the door to many opportunities, giving you a better quality of life.
There are many variants of theft charges in Texas. It is advantageous to be able to identify your level of theft so that you know what type record clearing is available to you. Here is a list of the theft charges and the offense classification:
- Theft of property valued at less than $20 is classified as a Class C misdemeanor. The maximum punishment for this theft charge is a fine not to exceed more than $500.00.
- Theft of property valued at more than $20 but less than $500 is classified as a Class B misdemeanor. The maximum punishment for this theft charge is no more than 180 days in jail and a fine of no more than $2,000.00.
- Theft of property valued at more than $500 but less than $1,500 is classified as a Class A misdemeanor. The maximum punishment for this theft charge is no more than 1-year in jail and a fine of no more than $4,000.00.
Which Theft Charges are Eligible to be Cleared from a Criminal Record?
Most theft offenses that are eligible for record clearing are usually categorized as misdemeanors. In Texas, only offenses that did not lead to a conviction or community supervision, or that resulted in the successful completion of deferred adjudication may be eligible for record clearing. As such, theft charges that resulted in a felony are usually not eligible to be cleared from your Texas criminal record.
Regardless of whether your theft was a Class C misdemeanor or a felony that resulted in sentencing to state prison, you may be eligible to fight your theft charge in Texas. While you always have the option to fight your Texas theft charge on your own, it is highly advisable that you seek the representation of a licensed Texas attorney who is well versed in Texas’ theft laws and Texas’ record clearing process. A good Texas expungement attorney will be able to navigate you through the expungement process from filing the petition with the right courthouse to representing you in court in the event that the state objects to your petition for record clearing. For examples of theft charges and their maximum fines check out maximum punishments for theft.
To check if you are eligible to expunge a previous theft charge, visit RecordGone.com’s free record expungement eligibility test.
To find out more about how to get a Texas criminal charge cleared from your record, read our article on how to expunge a felony arrest in Texas.
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