Expungement and Sealing

Expungement and Sealing are available to specific charges in Illinois.

Expungement

• Criminal records relating to a case, including arrests, court filings, and dispositions, may be eligible to be expunged depending on the outcome of the case.

• Expungement means that records are destroyed through the county clerk, making the records inaccessible to the public and not discoverable.

• There are specific types of cases which are ineligible for expungement including

  • Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

  • Minor Traffic Offenses and Reckless Driving

  • Domestic Violence (including Violations of Orders of Protection)

  • Sex related crimes

  • Sentences including conditional discharges or jail time

Sealing

• Criminal records which are ineligible for expungement, may be eligible for a case sealing.

• Case sealings effectively hide accessible case information from the public. Notably, these records will still be available for law enforcement investigations and court purposes.

• Most cases are eligible for sealing after a waiting period and successful sentencing completion.