Jennifer accepted a plea deal for her criminal conviction of felony theft. The sentence seemed manageable: deferred adjudication, two years of probation, minimal conditions. No jail time. The case would be dismissed after successful completion.
She thought that was the end of it. Complete probation, move on with her life, put the whole thing behind her.
Three years later, she sat in our office, frustrated and defeated. “Nobody told me it would be like this.”
She’d been denied for twelve different jobs, despite being qualified for each position. Landlords rejected her rental applications. Her professional license was under review. She couldn’t volunteer at her daughter’s school. Financial aid for her graduate program was denied.
“I completed probation successfully. The case was dismissed. But this felony record is following me everywhere. How is this fair?”
Welcome to the reality nobody explains when you’re standing in court accepting that plea deal: criminal convictions have consequences that extend far beyond your sentence. Even after you’ve “paid your debt to society,” that record follows you for years, sometimes for life.
If you’re currently facing charges, here’s what you need to know about the hidden costs of conviction—the consequences that will impact your life long after your court case ends.
Employment: The Barrier That Never Goes Away
Let’s start with the most immediate problem: finding and keeping employment.
Background Checks Are Everywhere: Most employers conduct criminal background checks. A study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 94% of employers conduct some form of background check. Your conviction will show up, and employers will see it.
Automatic Disqualification: Many companies have policies automatically disqualifying applicants with certain convictions. Felonies involving theft? You won’t work in finance, retail, or any position involving money handling. Violent offenses? Security, healthcare, and education are off limits. Drug convictions? Forget about transportation, healthcare, or any job requiring a CDL or professional license.
The Interview That Goes Nowhere: Even when you make it past the initial screening, you’ll face the question: “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?” You can explain. You can talk about rehabilitation and lessons learned. But most employers move on to candidates without criminal records.
Licensed Professions Are Especially Difficult: Want to be a nurse? Teacher? Real estate agent? CPA? Lawyer? Barber? Many professional licensing boards deny licenses to people with criminal convictions or impose lengthy waiting periods and additional requirements.
Career Advancement Limitations: Even if you find employment, advancement is limited. Promotions often trigger new background checks. Moving to management, handling finances, or transferring to certain departments may be impossible with a criminal record.
The reality: A criminal conviction can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost earning potential over your lifetime.
Housing: Where Will You Live?
Finding housing with a criminal record is nearly as difficult as finding employment.
Private Landlords: Most private landlords conduct background checks. Many have blanket policies rejecting applicants with any felony conviction or certain types of misdemeanors. Some will consider your application but charge higher deposits or require co-signers.
Apartment Complexes: Large property management companies often have strict policies. Computer systems automatically flag criminal records, and applications are denied before a human even reviews them.
Public Housing: Section 8 and public housing have restrictions. Drug-related convictions and violent crimes can result in permanent bans from public housing. Even after eligibility is restored, the wait lists are years long.
Homeownership Challenges: Mortgage applications require disclosure of criminal history. Some lenders deny applicants with recent convictions. Others charge higher interest rates, costing you tens of thousands over the life of the loan.
Eviction If Convicted While Renting: Some lease agreements allow landlords to evict tenants who are convicted of crimes during their tenancy. Even if you’re living somewhere when arrested, you might lose your housing after conviction.
We’ve seen clients living with family members for years because they can’t find landlords willing to rent to them. We’ve seen people denied housing in safe neighborhoods, forcing them into high-crime areas. The housing barrier is real and persistent.
Education: Limited Opportunities to Advance
Criminal convictions impact educational opportunities in ways most people don’t realize.
Federal Student Aid: Drug-related convictions can make you ineligible for federal student loans and grants. The restriction is time-limited but can delay or derail your education plans.
University Admissions: Many universities ask about criminal history on applications. Some have policies limiting admission of students with certain convictions. Even when admission is possible, scholarships and financial aid may be unavailable.
Graduate and Professional Schools: Law schools, medical schools, and other professional programs scrutinize criminal records carefully. A conviction doesn’t automatically disqualify you, but it creates significant hurdles. You’ll need to explain, provide documentation, and often face additional review.
Campus Housing: On-campus housing applications often screen for criminal history. Students with convictions may be denied campus housing, forcing them to find off-campus options (which faces the same landlord problems mentioned above).
Study Abroad Programs: International programs may deny students with criminal records. Many countries won’t issue student visas to people with certain convictions.
Gun Rights: A Permanent Loss for Felons
Federal law is clear: felony convictions result in permanent loss of gun rights.
Federal Prohibition: Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), anyone convicted of a felony cannot possess firearms or ammunition. This is a lifetime ban. It applies to all felonies, regardless of whether they involved violence.
No Hunting: In Texas, you can’t hunt with firearms if you’re a convicted felon. This might seem trivial, but for many Texans, hunting is a significant recreational and cultural activity.
Self-Defense Limitations: You cannot legally possess a gun for home defense. If you live in a rural area or high-crime neighborhood, this impacts your ability to protect yourself and your family.
Restoration Is Difficult: Federal gun rights can only be restored through a presidential pardon (extremely rare) or by having the conviction set aside under state law (which Texas law doesn’t clearly provide for felonies). For practical purposes, a felony conviction means permanent loss of gun rights.
Misdemeanors Also Affect Gun Rights: Domestic violence misdemeanors (under the Lautenberg Amendment) also prohibit gun possession. Even a Class A misdemeanor domestic violence conviction results in lifetime federal gun prohibition.
Immigration: Deportation for Non-Citizens
If you’re not a U.S. citizen, criminal convictions carry catastrophic immigration consequences.
Deportable Offenses: Certain convictions make even legal permanent residents deportable: aggravated felonies, crimes of moral turpitude, controlled substance offenses, firearms offenses, domestic violence. The list is extensive.
Bars to Naturalization: Convictions can prevent you from becoming a U.S. citizen. You must demonstrate “good moral character” for naturalization, and criminal convictions undermine that showing.
Visa Denials: Non-immigrants (students, workers, tourists) can be denied visas based on criminal records. Even minor convictions can result in visa denials or revocations.
No Relief Available: In many cases, there’s no waiver or relief available. Conviction means mandatory deportation, even for people who’ve lived in the U.S. for decades, have U.S. citizen family members, and have deep ties to the community.
Separation from Family: We’ve seen clients deported and separated from U.S. citizen spouses and children. Families are torn apart. Children grow up without parents. All because of a criminal conviction.
If you’re a non-citizen facing criminal charges, the immigration consequences often outweigh the criminal penalties. You need an attorney who understands both criminal and immigration law.
Professional Licenses: Careers Destroyed
Many professions require state-issued licenses, and criminal convictions can result in license denial, suspension, or revocation.
Healthcare: Nurses, doctors, pharmacists, EMTs, and other healthcare professionals can lose licenses for drug-related convictions, theft convictions, or convictions involving moral turpitude. State boards have broad discretion to discipline or deny licenses.
Education: Teachers and school employees face license consequences for convictions, especially those involving children, violence, or drugs. Even misdemeanors can result in license revocation.
Legal Profession: Lawyers convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude face disbarment or suspension. Even minor theft offenses can end a legal career.
Financial Services: CPAs, financial advisors, and insurance agents face license consequences for theft, fraud, or other convictions involving dishonesty. State boards take these very seriously.
Skilled Trades: Electricians, plumbers, contractors, and other licensed tradespeople can face license denial or revocation for felony convictions. This impacts their ability to work independently.
Real Estate: Real estate agents and brokers face license consequences for theft, fraud, or other convictions. The Texas Real Estate Commission scrutinizes criminal history carefully.
The consequences aren’t automatic, but they’re common. We’ve seen clients lose careers they spent years building, all because of a single conviction.
Parental Rights and Child Custody
Criminal convictions impact family law matters in significant ways.
Custody Determinations: Family courts consider criminal history when making custody decisions. Convictions involving violence, drugs, or child endangerment significantly impact your ability to obtain custody or even visitation.
CPS Involvement: Certain convictions trigger Child Protective Services investigations. Even if your children weren’t involved in the offense, CPS may investigate your fitness as a parent.
Adoption and Foster Care: Criminal convictions disqualify you from adopting children or becoming a foster parent. The restrictions are strict and include many misdemeanors.
Supervised Visitation: Courts may order supervised visitation for parents with certain criminal convictions. You can’t see your own children without a third party present.
Termination of Parental Rights: In extreme cases, criminal convictions can be used as grounds for terminating parental rights. This is the permanent, irreversible loss of your legal relationship with your child.
Voting Rights and Civic Participation
Texas law impacts voting rights for people with criminal convictions.
While Incarcerated: You cannot vote while incarcerated for a felony conviction.
After Release: Voting rights are automatically restored after you complete your sentence, including probation or parole.
Confusion and Barriers: Despite automatic restoration, many people with criminal records don’t know their rights are restored. Others face barriers when trying to register or vote because of confusion about their eligibility.
Jury Service: You’re permanently disqualified from jury service if you’ve been convicted of a felony or certain misdemeanors involving theft or dishonesty.
Public Office: Many elected offices prohibit people with certain criminal convictions from serving.
Social Stigma and Personal Relationships
Beyond the legal and financial consequences, there’s a social cost to criminal convictions.
Reputation: Your conviction is public record. Employers, landlords, neighbors, and acquaintances can find it online. You’ll explain it repeatedly for years.
Personal Relationships: Dating is complicated when you have to disclose a criminal record. Relationships end when partners discover your past. In-laws and family members judge you.
Community Involvement: Volunteering at your child’s school, coaching youth sports, serving in church leadership—many of these opportunities are restricted or closed to people with criminal records.
Travel Limitations: Some countries deny entry to people with criminal convictions. Canada, for example, can deny entry to anyone convicted of an offense that would be indictable in Canada, even if it’s a misdemeanor in the U.S.
Mental Health Impact: The ongoing consequences of a conviction cause stress, anxiety, depression, and feelings of hopelessness. The barrier to moving forward with your life takes a psychological toll.
Financial Costs Beyond Fines
The direct financial impact of a criminal conviction extends far beyond court fines and costs.
Attorney Fees: Defending criminal charges costs thousands of dollars. Even with a public defender (if you qualify), there are fees and costs.
Lost Wages: Time spent in jail, court appearances, probation appointments, and required classes all mean lost work time and lost income.
Employment Impact: As discussed, employment barriers mean lower lifetime earnings. The financial impact can be hundreds of thousands of dollars over your career.
Housing Costs: Difficulty finding housing means higher deposits, higher rent, or living arrangements that cost more money.
Insurance: Criminal convictions can increase your car insurance rates. Some insurance companies deny coverage entirely to people with certain convictions.
Required Programs: Probation often requires paying for classes, treatment programs, drug testing, and other services. These costs add up to thousands of dollars.
Supervision Fees: Probation itself costs money. You pay monthly supervision fees, typically $60-80 per month.
What You Can Do: Expunctions and Non-Disclosures
Some criminal records can be cleared or sealed, but the rules are complex and not everyone qualifies.
Expunction (Expungement): This completely erases your record as if the arrest never happened. You can legally deny the arrest occurred. But expunction is only available in limited situations: charges were dismissed, you were acquitted at trial, you were pardoned, or you completed certain pre-trial diversion programs. If you were convicted, you generally cannot get an expunction.
Order of Non-Disclosure: This seals your record from public view. Private employers and landlords can’t see it in background checks. But government agencies, licensing boards, and law enforcement can still access it. Non-disclosure is available for some deferred adjudication cases after a waiting period, but not all offenses qualify.
Waiting Periods: Non-disclosure requires waiting periods after completing your sentence, ranging from immediately (for some misdemeanors) to 5 years (for certain felonies). Some offenses are never eligible.
Ineligibility: Many serious offenses are not eligible for non-disclosure, including murder, aggravated kidnapping, family violence offenses (in many cases), and many sex offenses.
The rules are complicated and we help clients navigate the expunction and non-disclosure process. But the critical point: you need to know whether your conviction can be cleared before you accept a plea deal.
Why This Matters When Evaluating Plea Offers
Here’s why understanding all of these consequences matters right now, while you’re still facing charges:
Some Plea Deals Are Better Than Others: Deferred adjudication (which may qualify for non-disclosure later) is vastly better than a regular conviction. A misdemeanor is much better than a felony. Understanding the long-term consequences helps you evaluate offers.
Immigration Clients Need Special Care: If you’re not a U.S. citizen, accepting the “best” criminal law deal might trigger deportation. You need attorneys who understand immigration consequences.
Professional License Holders Need Protection: If your career depends on a professional license, you need to know how different convictions impact that license before accepting a plea deal.
Parents Need to Consider Custody: If you’re in a custody dispute or might be in the future, certain convictions will be used against you. That matters in deciding whether to accept a plea or go to trial.
Think Beyond Today: It’s not just about avoiding jail time today. It’s about protecting your ability to work, house yourself, see your children, and build a future.
How We Protect Your Future, Not Just Your Present
This is why we focus not just on minimizing criminal penalties but on minimizing lifelong consequences.
When we evaluate plea offers, we consider:
- Will this conviction be eligible for non-disclosure or expunction later?
- How will this impact your employment in your specific field?
- If you’re a non-citizen, what are the immigration consequences?
- Do you have a professional license that could be affected?
- Are you in a custody dispute where this will be used against you?
- Can we negotiate for a lesser charge that avoids these consequences?
We don’t just look at jail time. We look at your entire life and future.
This Holiday Season: Protect More Than Your Freedom
If you’re currently facing criminal charges, you’re probably focused on avoiding jail or prison. That makes sense. But you also need to think about what happens after court.
Will you be able to get a job? Find housing? See your children? Keep your professional license? Stay in the country?
These questions matter, and the decisions you make now will impact the answers.
Get Attorneys Who See the Whole Picture
If you’re facing criminal charges in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, you need attorneys who understand not just criminal law but all the collateral consequences of conviction.
We’re former prosecutors with nearly 20 years of criminal law experience each. We know how to minimize criminal penalties through negotiation and trial. But we also understand how convictions impact employment, immigration, licensing, custody, and every other aspect of your life.
We don’t just fight for the best plea deal. We fight for an outcome that protects your entire future.
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and the long-term consequences you’re facing. We’ll give you straight answers about how different outcomes will impact your life.
Your future is worth more than a quick plea deal.
Lewis & Ashworth, PLLC
Criminal Defense Attorneys
Plano, Texas
Serving the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex