Crime & Traffic
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Sealing a criminal record Guide
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When you are arrested or charged with an offense, a criminal record is created, even if you are released without being charged or found not guilty. These criminal records can be viewed by the public, including potential employers.
You can hide some of these charges from being seen by the general public. This is called sealing. You might even be able to have these records destroyed. This is called expungement. Whether you qualify depends on a number of factors:
- What type of crime you were arrested or charged with,
- What happened in the case, and
- How long it’s been since it happened.
Effective 8/10/18 a court cannot deny your petition for sealing based on overdue fines.
Last full review by a subject matter expert
April 21, 2021
Last revised by staff
May 24, 2020
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