# Why a Completed Deferred Case Can Still Appear on Screening > Finishing deferred supervision isn't the same as sealing a record. Compare public court records with what a screening report is allowed to include. URL: https://felonfriendlyapartments.com/guide/why-deferred-adjudication-still-shows-on-screening-reports/ - [Home](/) - › - [Guides](/guide/) - › - [Deferred Adjudication Apartments in Texas](/deferred-adjudication/) - › - Why a Completed Deferred Case Can Still Appear on Screening GUIDE # Why a Completed Deferred Case Can Still Appear on Screening Finishing deferred adjudication doesn't make every trace of the court case go away on its own. Is the case in a court file? Can a screening company report it? Those are two separate questions. ![A renter surprised by a screening report at a desk](/images/misc/person-surprised-while-reading-a-screening-report-.webp) ## What this guide covers - Figuring out where your case stands - Why a court file and a report are separate questions - What to compare on your report ![Court disposition papers on a table](/images/misc/court-disposition-document-on-a-table-everyday-set.webp) ## Figure out where your case stands A deferred case can still be going, it can end in a discharge and dismissal, or a judge can later find you guilty. Those are three different outcomes. Read the disposition and any discharge order. A screening report shouldn't list every deferred case as a plain conviction, or leave out what happened later. ## A case in the court file can't always be reported forever Having no nondisclosure order doesn't mean a case can be reported forever. Reporting laws, dates and the actual outcome each matter on their own. On the flip side, finishing deferred doesn't mean an accurate case has to come off if the law still lets it be reported. ## What to compare - The case number and court on both documents. - What the report calls it: active, dismissed or convicted. - The date the case started and the date of the final outcome. - Any nondisclosure order and the case it covers. If the status is wrong or incomplete, use the [background report dispute steps](/guide/how-to-dispute-background-check-errors/). Can it legally be reported? Do you qualify for nondisclosure? For those questions, take your papers to legal aid. Don't guess from a general timeline. Read [Texas Government Code Chapter 411](https://tcss.legis.texas.gov/resources/GV/htm/GV.411.htm) for the law itself and [our deferred record nondisclosure guide](/guide/when-a-non-disclosure-order-clears-deferred-adjudication/) for questions to ask a lawyer. We keep your apartment search going as you sort out those questions. ## What to do next - Get a copy of your own screening report so you see what a landlord sees. Our guide on [checking your own background](/guide/how-to-check-your-own-background-before-you-apply/) walks you through it. - Read your disposition and any discharge order side by side with the report. - Ask legal aid if your case may qualify for nondisclosure. - Tell us about your case. We check how each community's rules treat deferred cases. Published by the Felon Friendly Apartment Team. This is general renter information. Each property makes its own decisions, and questions about your own case belong with a lawyer or legal aid. RELATED SERVICE ## Deferred Adjudication Apartments in Texas A deferred case on your report isn't the end of the search. We check how each community's rules treat deferred cases in the five metros we serve. [See how our deferred search works →](/deferred-adjudication/) ## Common Questions ### Does deferred adjudication show on an apartment background check? It can. Finishing deferred doesn't make every trace of the court case go away on its own. ### Why does it still show if I finished it? Finishing deferred and getting a nondisclosure order are different things. A completed case can still be in the court file and on some reports. ### Can I get it removed? If the report is wrong, dispute it with the screening company. If you may qualify for nondisclosure, take your papers to legal aid. ## Ready to Start Your Apartment Search? Our help is free to renters. Participating communities may pay our brokerage a referral fee. Tell us what you need, and we'll check each community's criteria against your record. [Start My Free Search](/find-apartments/) ## More renter help [Use renter checklists and budget tools](/renter-resources/) · [Browse the guide library](/guide/)