{"id":352410,"date":"2016-04-04T10:42:22","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/criminal\/expungement.html"},"modified":"2025-05-09T10:18:20","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T15:18:20","slug":"expungement","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/expungement.html","title":{"rendered":"Expunging Criminal Records"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n \n Expunging Criminal Records\n <\/h1>\n \n Criminal records are permanent unless your state automatically expunges them after a certain time or you apply for expungement.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Only some people are eligible for expunging a criminal record. This process is also called "expunction."  An expungement erases a past arrest or conviction from a public criminal record. Law enforcement and future legal cases can still access an expunged record.<\/p>\r\n

Having a criminal offense on your arrest record doesn’t guarantee you can apply for an expungement. There is no guarantee a judge will approve your petition for expungement. <\/p>\r\n

The links below offer easy-to-understand explanations for common expungement topics. You can also keep reading further down this article to learn the basics of legal expungement.<\/p>\r\n

An attorney from the FindLaw Directory<\/a> can also speak to you about the charges and your expungement options.<\/p>\r\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Expungement 101\n \n <\/i>\n <\/span>\n <\/button>\n <\/h2>\n \n