General Information
Fresh Start helps community members seal eligible criminal records and connect with community resources. It’s designed to give participants a second chance after experiences with the criminal justice system.
Anyone with a closed Harris County misdemeanor or felony case can register for a free screening. The screening process determines which records are eligible to be sealed under Texas law.
Fresh Start Record Screening and Sealing is held four times a year at the Harris County Jury Plaza, 1201 Congress St. in downtown Houston. Online registration is required. Find upcoming dates and times: www.ccl.hctx.net/calendar.html.
Fresh Start is offered by the Harris County Criminal Courts at Law and BAYOU City Community Court in partnership with the Harris County Public Defender’s Office, Harris County Criminal District Courts, Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, and Harris County Constable Precinct 1.
Texas law provides two ways to seal a criminal record:
- Nondisclosure seals your criminal record from public view. ¬You don’t have to disclose it publicly – on job or housing applications, for example – but certain state and federal agencies can still see it.
- Expunction completely erases the arrest or charge. This is only available for charges that have been dismissed, no-billed by a grand jury, or ended in a not-guilty verdict at trial.
Even if a case is dismissed, the arrest or charge can still appear on your record. A criminal record can make it harder to get a job, rent an apartment, get into college, access financial aid, or obtain professional licenses. Sealing your record can help remove these barriers. When people can meet their basic needs and build stable lives, it reduces the likelihood of repeat offenses and helps create safer, stronger communities.
Registration
Go to www.ccl.hctx.net/FreshStart.htm and click the REGISTRATION button. From there, you’ll answer two quick qualifying questions. If you qualify, you’ll be taken to the registration form, which you must complete and submit. Registration is only open during designated periods: www.ccl.hctx.net/calendar.html.
Important: You must complete and submit the form to secure a spot. Opening the form does not reserve a spot. If all spots fill before you’re able to complete and submit your form, you’ll see a message saying registration is not available.
Important: You must complete and submit the form to secure a spot. Opening the form does not reserve a spot. If all spots fill before you’re able to complete and submit your form, you’ll see a message saying registration is not available.
Registration opens at noon on designated days: www.ccl.hctx.net/calendar.html.
Very fast. Thousands of people often try to register at the same time for just a few hundred slots. This means registration can fill within seconds of opening.
Yes! Sign up for Fresh Start email and text reminders here: https://bit.ly/FreshStartAlerts.
If you register successfully, you will get a confirmation number and confirmation email. Print or save this information, as you may need it to access services. If you do not get a confirmation number, your registration did not go through. You’ll need to try again at a future event.
Eligibility results will be emailed to you as late as the week of the event. Check your email inbox and spam/junk folders regularly. If you have not received an update by 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before the event, email FreshStart@ccl.hctx.net with your name, date of birth, and confirmation number. Requests sent before this time will not be processed.
No. We don’t have a waiting list or don’t allow walk-ins.
No. Registration is only available online at the designated time.
No. Email and text updates are separate from event registration. You must register to be screened.
Registration Issues
The registration form is only open at noon on designated registration days. You won’t be able to access it before then. If you click on the REGISTRATION button early, you’ll see a message saying registration isn’t available.
No. This is not an error. Thousands of people often try to register at the same time for just a few hundred seats, which means registration can fill within seconds. If you see this message, you will need to try again next time.
Eligibility
Eligibility is determined by state law. Specific requirements and mandatory waiting periods vary significantly depending on the criminal charge. After you register, Fresh Start legal partners will review your Harris County criminal records over the next two weeks to determine eligibility. If you are not eligible under state law, Fresh Start cannot admit you into the program.
No. You must register online to have your records screened.
No. Eligibility is determined by Texas state law. If you are not legally eligible, your records cannot be sealed.
Yes. Certain charges cannot be expunged or sealed, no matter how long ago they occurred. In Texas, eligibility is based on the disposition of the case, and each case must be reviewed to determine eligibility.
Yes. You must attend the corresponding Fresh Start in-person to receive record sealing services.
No. Fresh Start only reviews Harris County criminal records. Records from other counties and states don’t qualify for this program.
No. Active cases cannot be sealed. Criminal records cannot be sealed until the case is closed and any mandatory waiting periods are completed.
Help
Any eligible records are being handled by our legal partners. You’ll receive an email when your case is assigned to a case handler — usually within 90 days. After your case is assigned, the court process begins and typically takes another 90 days. You will receive another email when the process is complete.
Emails may come from different addresses. Check your inbox and spam/junk folders regularly. If more than 180 days have passed with no update, email FreshStart@ccl.hctx.net with your name and the date of the event you attended.
Emails may come from different addresses. Check your inbox and spam/junk folders regularly. If more than 180 days have passed with no update, email FreshStart@ccl.hctx.net with your name and the date of the event you attended.
If your question isn’t covered here, you can email FreshStart@ccl.hctx.net. Please include your name and specific questions in the email. You will receive a response within three business days. Note: If your question is already answered in the FAQs, you may not receive an individualized response.
Yes. If you can’t attend Fresh Start, you can access self-help legal resources at www.clearyourrecordharriscounty.org and www.texaslawhelp.org. You can also look for similar record sealing events held by other community organizations.