Ok. First Post

[txinvestigator]

He said that if it shows "no records found" that it wont show any records when they pull it either. He recommended I just attach the printout to the application and said it would also speed up processing for the CHL.

I would follow his advice and staple the copy and mail it. Like he said if its not there then that's all the CHL guys will see. It the easiest and fastest. And I seriously doubt they do a more detailed search then what you did at the website.

DPS sends a Trooper into the counties you have resided in and does a thorough court check.

[craigneasttx]

Ok. This morning I went to the District Clerk and told her the situation. We looked and we found the information. What it does not have is the disposition. There were two counts and neither had the disposition paper. She wrote a letter that stated there was no conviction of file and certified it and I left.

Driving down the road I looked at the letter and it said no conviction on file for the last 10 years. I said to my self...Self, that wont work. But I had to be in a meeting an hour later so I called my wife. I told her what I got and she went up there, and she talked to a different lady. They searched and searched through the court files and couldnt find anything that showed the conclusion result of either charge (two kiddos were allegedly involved, so two charges filed).

What my wife brought home is certified copies of the criminal docket. They state from start to finish my plea of not guilty. The start of the trial and the waiving of a jury. Resesses and resuming of the trial and at the very end it shows count 1-Held-Not Guilty and same on count two. Both signed by the judge. Both Signed and Stamped with embossed seal from county.

Whatcha think?

[craigneasttx]

Not that this matters, I dont think....But I have bought handguns since and recently without a hitch

[ELB]

It looks to me like you have it covered, but then I am not a state/DPS bureaucrat. I would call the DPS CHL section again, and go over what you got with them to make sure.

What an aggravation. You are an innocent party, scrupulously honest by reporting a 20 year old indictment that turned out to be bogus, and you are still suffering from it. Doesn't seem right that you should have to prove (once again) that you are innocent -- seems like the State should have to either come up with a disposition that says you were convicted, or issue you your license. I would wager that the two clowns and their parents who falsely accused you have not suffered as much trouble. I hope they were prosecuted for filing a false report/charge, but frankly I doubt it.

I'm aggravated just reading about it. I can't imagine how infuriating it must be to experience it.

Good luck and perservere!

elb

[craigneasttx]

Thanks for being almost as offended as I am. Been years since I have even thought about it. But thats what I get for growing up in a small town. This all happened in the first place because they said it was a Red GMC truck and I happened to drive one. One of the parents was a sibling of a close family our family hung out with and knew my parents made a decent living (not rich by any means). I wouldnt change it for anything (the place) but yes, I feel that it is an injustice to have to prove that I was proven innocent 20 years later. But I cant change this.

I originally started this chl thing so my wife would get hers. Not tooting my own horn, but she is a gorgeous girl. I am one of those guys we all look at and say, dang...how did he get a girl like that. LOL.....She has had several encounters that have made her nervous. We have two kiddos and one of the instances involved the oldest, who was cornered at a county fair by two adult men. She has mentioned many times that she needs a permit to carry. She is the deer....duck..dove hunting type and knows how to handle a weapon as well as I do, and just as safely. She grew up around guns.

We go through the course and take both tests tomorrow. I will see this through and hope it all works out. But if it doesnt, at least she got her chl, which again, was my main priority.

Thanks for everyone's help. But if anyone has any ideas of what else I can do, please let me know.

[txinvestigator]

We go through the course and take both tests tomorrow. I will see this through and hope it all works out. But if it doesnt, at least she got her chl, which again, was my main priority.

Thanks for everyone's help. But if anyone has any ideas of what else I can do, please let me know.

Good luck and let us know what you think of the course.

I bet what you obtained will be fine. Include a little note of explanation.

[lrb111]

That's pretty much what they would be looking for. Should speed the process along uneventfully.

[yobdab]

He said that if it shows "no records found" that it wont show any records when they pull it either. He recommended I just attach the printout to the application and said it would also speed up processing for the CHL.

I would follow his advice and staple the copy and mail it. Like he said if its not there then that's all the CHL guys will see. It the easiest and fastest. And I seriously doubt they do a more detailed search then what you did at the website.

DPS sends a Trooper into the counties you have resided in and does a thorough court check.

Yeah but didn't he state earlier that he called those counties and they had nothing? I doubt, since he can purchase firearms, that something that happened 20 years ago and was dropped will show up on record. If it was something meaningful to Texas it would have been on TDPS website. I would think reporting that charge and him having the problem he's having to get his own info would slow everything down on TDPS's side since they aren't as motivated. But it's just my opinion.

[craigneasttx]

Well...Test is done.

The wife outscored me on the written. I missed one.

I got her back on the shooting 249 to 229.

It was a great day. We had a blast. We were the only ones there and I would highly recommend our instructor and the whole setup if your anywhere from Houston to Dallas (we are right in between on I-45) I feel it is well worth the drive. Like I said, it was a great day.

On the background problem. I showed him what all I had and he said pack it all in the folder behind the yellow paperwork and send it off. He said he does not foresee any problem what-so-ever, but if there is, give him a call and we will get it worked out.

Once again...Thanks for the help.

[carlson1]

Congratulations Craig

[ELB]

Craig,

Congrats on doing well in the class, and good luck with the paperwork. Keep us posted.

elb

[txinvestigator]

He said that if it shows "no records found" that it wont show any records when they pull it either. He recommended I just attach the printout to the application and said it would also speed up processing for the CHL.

I would follow his advice and staple the copy and mail it. Like he said if its not there then that's all the CHL guys will see. It the easiest and fastest. And I seriously doubt they do a more detailed search then what you did at the website.

DPS sends a Trooper into the counties you have resided in and does a thorough court check.

Yeah but didn't he state earlier that he called those counties and they had nothing? I doubt, since he can purchase firearms, that something that happened 20 years ago and was dropped will show up on record. If it was something meaningful to Texas it would have been on TDPS website. I would think reporting that charge and him having the problem he's having to get his own info would slow everything down on TDPS's side since they aren't as motivated. But it's just my opinion.

My post was soley in response to the sentence in red, above.

You are mistaken about the record being on the DPS website if it was "meaningful". Many counties miss reporting to TCIC.

[Venus Pax]

Just wanted to say welcome.
Please invite your wife to join us as well.

[brandy_easttx]

I just wanted to say hello and thank you for the invitation. I have been reading along with Craig and want to also tell you guys thank you for the help you gave us with Craig's application. We hope someday we can return the favor.

We are very excited about receiving our CHL but we, or at least I, am very concerned about the "keeping it concealed" part. I ordered a Galco handbag (purse) to conceal with. It was a no brainer. Craig has ordered a bunch of different holsters to try out on our land, to see which one best fits him. Although we both were raised around guns, we are not that experienced with handguns. I figured a 229 on my shooting test was good enough to pass, but actually pretty poor shooting since this was a "no pressure" situation, or at least no pressure compared to having to use it to save someone's life.

Anyway, thanks again for the help and the invitation.


Brandy

[NcongruNt]

I just wanted to say hello and thank you for the invitation. I have been reading along with Craig and want to also tell you guys thank you for the help you gave us with Craig's application. We hope someday we can return the favor.

We are very excited about receiving our CHL but we, or at least I, am very concerned about the "keeping it concealed" part. I ordered a Galco handbag (purse) to conceal with. It was a no brainer. Craig has ordered a bunch of different holsters to try out on our land, to see which one best fits him. Although we both were raised around guns, we are not that experienced with handguns. I figured a 229 on my shooting test was good enough to pass, but actually pretty poor shooting since this was a "no pressure" situation, or at least no pressure compared to having to use it to save someone's life.

Anyway, thanks again for the help and the invitation.


Brandy

Glad to have you with us, Brandy. Check out the ladies' section here and you will get some good advice about carry methods. Many here will discourage the use of a purse in favor of on-body carry because of purse-snatching and other accessibility issues. Read up and make the decision for yourself. Nearly all of the ladies I have talked to here carry on-body and may be able to offer suggestions.

Most new CHLers are overly-concerned with concealment, as I was when I first started carrying. Ask some questions over in the ladies' section and you'll get some good answers from women who carry.

You are already off to a good start. I would suggest getting some more training in drawing and shooting from concealment. Even practicing with someone with experience (and there are many on this board) is a great help in developing good carry habits and shooting skills. I'm sure there's several folks on this board in your area who would be happy to go shooting with you and your husband.

Again, welcome aboard. There's a great group of helpful folks here, and we're glad to have you with us.