What is criminal expungement?

Criminal expungement is the process of going to court to ask a judge to seal records from a criminal court case so that they cannot be seen by the public. It is important to remember that an expunged record is NOT destroyed. The police, law enforcement agencies, FBI, immigration, and other public officials may still see sealed records from criminal court cases for certain purposes. Usually, people ask for an expungement when they have been denied a job, housing, or a professional license because of their criminal background.

NOTE: Expungement of Housing Eviction Court Records is a separate court process. This type of expungement asks for a judge to seal an eviction court record (formerly known as unlawful detainer) from public view. Eviction expungement has different steps and requirements.