In 1995 I burned my own house down, and thank God nobody was in it. I was an active alcoholic and a total mess. I was put on felony deferred adjudication. It was a second degree felony. I was darned lucky I didn't go to prison. I received ten years probation, did community service, and had thousands of dollars of restitution to pay.
I didn't breeze through those ten years. I went before the judge twice for violating probation because I didn't go to my probation appointments and pay my payments on time. I didn't commit any new offences though. I had debilitating depression for years. I was on medications and in therapy most of those ten years. I went to my AA meetings and worked hard to get well. I'm still in AA and I have been sober since February, 1995.
The judge lowered my payments years ago. I think he could see that I was trying. I was grateful. It was all I could pay. When I had a little extra money I paid more. But by the end of my probationary period I only paid about half of what I owed. Don't get me wrong.
Had I been able to, I would have payed all of what I owed plus interest. I also don't blame my actions on being drunk at the time I did such an aweful thing. I chose to drink and I burned down my own house. It hurt a lot of people, not just the insurance company. I am not the same person I was all those years ago. I have been well enough to work a full time job for almost three years. Nobody would hire me. I was discharged from probation in May of 2005, and I hoped that getting a job would be easier. It hasn't been. I 've been doing odd jobs that don't entail background questions or checks. But I need a full time job that helps to support my family.
I totally understand why people wouldn't want to hire an arsonist. But I need a job. Please help. Does anyone know what I can do? I heard there is something called expungement or non-disclosure. I think because even though I completed and was discharged from probation I didn't pay all of the money. Is there any way it is still possible to get a non-disclosureor expungement? Or how about any organizations that help people like me? I spoke with a counselor at the Texas Workforce Commission. Unfortunately because I was not convicted he can't help me. Am I in a loophole? Thank you for your time and any ideas you have.
I didn't breeze through those ten years. I went before the judge twice for violating probation because I didn't go to my probation appointments and pay my payments on time. I didn't commit any new offences though. I had debilitating depression for years. I was on medications and in therapy most of those ten years. I went to my AA meetings and worked hard to get well. I'm still in AA and I have been sober since February, 1995.
The judge lowered my payments years ago. I think he could see that I was trying. I was grateful. It was all I could pay. When I had a little extra money I paid more. But by the end of my probationary period I only paid about half of what I owed. Don't get me wrong.
Had I been able to, I would have payed all of what I owed plus interest. I also don't blame my actions on being drunk at the time I did such an aweful thing. I chose to drink and I burned down my own house. It hurt a lot of people, not just the insurance company. I am not the same person I was all those years ago. I have been well enough to work a full time job for almost three years. Nobody would hire me. I was discharged from probation in May of 2005, and I hoped that getting a job would be easier. It hasn't been. I 've been doing odd jobs that don't entail background questions or checks. But I need a full time job that helps to support my family.
I totally understand why people wouldn't want to hire an arsonist. But I need a job. Please help. Does anyone know what I can do? I heard there is something called expungement or non-disclosure. I think because even though I completed and was discharged from probation I didn't pay all of the money. Is there any way it is still possible to get a non-disclosureor expungement? Or how about any organizations that help people like me? I spoke with a counselor at the Texas Workforce Commission. Unfortunately because I was not convicted he can't help me. Am I in a loophole? Thank you for your time and any ideas you have.
