There are two common procedures to remove an arrest from your record: sealing and expungement. The former removes the record of an arrest, while the latter does not. Both procedures are considered legally binding and can be applied to specific arrests and convictions. However, in some jurisdictions, sealing is reserved for arrests that do not result in convictions.
To get an arrest off your record, contact the criminal clerk’s office of the court in which you were arrested. For example, if you were arrested in a state other than your current one, you should contact the criminal clerk’s office of that state’s courts to obtain a certified copy of the court docket. This will make expungement much easier.
Expungement is an administrative process that removes a person’s criminal record. Expunged records are not visible to potential employers or landlords. However, the process isn’t always straightforward. For example, if you were arrested for marijuana in a decriminalized state, the state may still require a formal court hearing.
