How Should I Answer Questions on a Job Application if I’ve Been Arrested?

October 14, 2020

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

texasdefensefirm.com

(972) 369-0577

It’s heartbreaking for me to hear current clients and folks who’d gone through some rough patches before be extremely excited about a potential job opportunity only to have the opportunity repeatedly crumble at the last minute over and over.

My Approach To Answering “How Should I Answer the Arrest Question”

First – I advise my clients they usually don’t have a duty to answer questions which aren’t asked depending on the job they’re applying for.  Many folks think they get brownie points for disclosing things they might not have to disclose – and in a perfect world this would be true.  My experience is the opposite, though.

It’s really important to read the question being asked, answer that question, and not answer questions which aren’t being asked.  It’s my experience many employers (and their lawyers) sometimes draft imprecise or clunky questions about previous arrests.  These are questions which might allow you to answer the questions honestly yet not require you to disclose your situation.

Remember your potential employer will also probably do a background check on you too.  You don’t want to get ‘too cute’ answering a question about your criminal history only to have the potential employer not hire you anyway.

Expunctions and Non-Disclosures are the best way to solve these problems.  An expunction allows you to deny the entire situation occurred in the vast majority of situations and a non-disclosure hides the affair from the public.

Quick Texas Guide to Background Check Questions

Have I Been Convicted?

Situations where the answer is “No”

  • If you were on deferred adjudication and successfully completed Deferred successfully for a felony or misdemeanor
  • If you are currently on deferred adjudication community supervision for either a felony or a misdemeanor
  • If your case is currently pending and you have yet to enter a plea
  • If you are waiting for your case to go to trial
  • If you went to trial and were found “not guilty”
  • If your case was dismissed for any reason

Situations where the answer is “Yes”

  • If you have ever plead guilty to a Federal offense
  • If you’ve gone to TDC or State Jail
  • If the judge found you guilty even if you were on probation

Have I Been Charged with an Offense?

“Charged” is a tricky word in these contexts.  What concerns me about the wording is I worry some may not agree with my interpretation or might not really understand what this term means.

To me, you are not “charged” with an offense unless or until the prosecuting authority (normally a District Attorney’s Office) files either an information against you in a misdemeanor or an indictment against you in a felony.

But we often hear on television or read in the newspaper someone was “arrested and charged with…..”  That’s usually not an accurate statement because normally the indictment or information follow an arrest weeks or months later.

So I do worry about folks who answer a background check question they have not been “charged” with an offense greater than a traffic ticket but who have been arrested – because the prospective employer might not understand the difference.

Overriding Advice

I always tell my clients – current and former – please call me with any questions about how to answer a specific question.

*Jeremy Rosenthal is board certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He is a Texas Super Lawyer as designated by Thomson Reuters.  Nothing in this article should be considered legal advice.

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They Got the “Owner” Wrong on the Indictment

October 29, 2019

By Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

(972) 369-0577

www.texasdefensefirm.com

A question I get from time to time in theft cases is the “owner” of the property as alleged by the prosecution is not really the owner at all.  Sometimes it is someone whose name the accused doesn’t recognize at all

So Who Is the Person They’re Saying is the Owner?

It is often a loss prevention officer of the store or often an office holder if the ‘victim’ of the theft is a company or organization of some type.

Tex.Code.Crim.P. 1.07(35) defines an owner as a person who has title to the property, possession of the property, whether lawful or not, or a greater right to possession of the property than the actor.

When the perpetrator is attaining property in an unauthorized manner — they have no interest in the property therefore any other person even with minimal control of the property can be considered an “owner.”

Does it Really Matter Who the State Lists as the Owner?

Not usually.  Take most shoplifting cases — the “owner” of the property is typically listed as a loss prevention person or in some instances even the store itself.  It often isn’t contested.

But Here’s Where This Issue Can Get Weird:

Let’s say the person listed as the owner of the property in the indictment (or information in a misdemeanor) normally has less interest in the property than the accused.  For instance, the treasurer of an organization is accused of theft and a regular member is listed as the owner (but was perhaps the informant).

In that instance, the prosecution would argue the treasurer was stealing – so therefore they have no interest in the money stolen whereas the regular member has minimal interest — but still more than the stealing treasurer.  But the counter-argument is Treasurer is presumed innocent as a matter of law, so what you get are “chicken & egg” arguments on either side.

Just a legal pit I’ve fallen into several times over the years!

*Jeremy Rosenthal is an Attorney Licensed in Texas.  He is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is a 2019 Super Lawyer as designated by Thomson Reuters.

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Posted by niftybrady

Texas Grand Jury FAQ’s

April 2, 2010

By Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

texasdefensefirm.com

(972) 369-0577

What is a Grand Jury:

A Grand Jury is a panel that decides whether a felony should be indicted or not.  The DA’s office can file misdemeanors on their own, however, to file felony charges a grand jury must agree there is probable cause.

Grand jury meetings are secretive and confidential.  The public has no access to their deliberations.  Typically they deliberate matters brought before them by the District Attorneys office.  Here is a link to some technical and historical information about Texas grand juries.

Grand Jury Findings

Grand juries can do several things with cases they hear.  They can issue a true bill which equals a felony indictment or they can issue a no-bill turning the case down.  Occasionally they will charge a person with a misdemeanor instead of a felony through indictment.  After a true bill is issued, the case gets assigned to a court and proceeds normally.

Criminal Defendant’s Rights During Grand Jury Proceedings

If you really think about it… having a grand jury as a hurdle for the prosecution in and of itself is the only real right you have in this process (in theory anyway).

A criminal defendant does not have the right to testify at the grand jury nor does your attorney have the right to be present.  Because the proceedings are secretive the transcript, if any, is not available.  You can’t even watch.

What Can I Do If I’m Under Grand Jury Investigation of if I Get a Grand Jury Letter?

Call an attorney.  The prosecutors have discretion to allow your attorney to submit a packet of information to a grand jury to attempt to dissuade them from indictment.  Also the prosecutor can agree to allow you to testify before the grand jury — but not in the presence of your attorney.  On many cases, prosecutors have incentive to negotiate with you prior to your case going to grand jury.  As a policy, Collin County DA’s office will not negotiate with people at the grand jury phase that are unrepresented by counsel.  This may seem like a frustrating policy — but frankly it’s for your own protection.  Grand jury situations are very complicated and the ramifications are very serious if mismanaged.

Jeremy F. Rosenthal, Esq.

(972) 562-7549

*Jeremy Rosenthal is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas. Nothing in this article is intended to be legal advice.  For specific legal advice you should consult an attorney. 

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Posted by Jeremy Rosenthal, Esq.