expungement
Official criminal erasure
Expungement is the legal process of erasing or sealing a criminal record, making it as if the offense never occurred.
After expungement, the person can typically deny the arrest or conviction on job applications: She applied for expungement of her juvenile record.
The process varies by jurisdiction and offense type.
Removal of content
- obliterationTotal destruction or erasure
- effacementAct of erasing completely
- eradicationTotal elimination of something
- redactionObscuring sensitive text
blotting out · striking · removal · elimination · purge · scrubbing · cancellation · nullification
Making impermeable
- vacateLeave a place empty
- annulmentDeclared void from start
- dismissalRemoval from position
- quashSuppress or nullify
set-aside · petition · court order · nondisclosure · diversion · pardon · clemency · presidential pardon
Firmly held belief
- criminal recordLog of past convictions
- arrest recordDocumentation of criminal detentions
- mugshotPolice identification photograph
- fingerprintsRidge patterns identifying individuals
court records · background check · employment · housing · licensing · voting rights · gun rights · immigration
Renewed opportunity after failure
- fresh startOpportunity to restart unburdened
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- new beginningChance to start again
- reintegrationRestoration to a group
restoration · clean record · moving forward · reentry · background check · opportunity · turning point · reform
deletion
Removal of content
- obliterationTotal destruction or erasure
- effacementAct of erasing completely
- eradicationTotal elimination of something
redaction · blotting out · striking · removal · elimination · purge · scrubbing · cancellation · nullification · voiding
sealing
Making impermeable
quash · set-aside · petition · court order · nondisclosure · diversion · pardon · clemency · presidential pardon · waiting period
conviction
Firmly held belief
- criminal recordLog of past convictions
- arrest recordDocumentation of criminal detentions
- mugshotPolice identification photograph
fingerprints · court records · background check · employment · housing · licensing · voting rights · gun rights · immigration · deportation
second chance
Renewed opportunity after failure
- fresh startOpportunity to restart unburdened
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- new beginningChance to start again
reintegration · restoration · clean record · moving forward · reentry · background check · opportunity · turning point · reform · transformation
- removalremove, elimination, delete, erasing, erase
- criminal lawcrime, felony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery
- penologypenology, prisons, incarceration, parole board, prison
- Cannabis Policylegalization, decriminalization, medical marijuana, recreational use, dispensary
- court actionsadjudication, sentencing hearing, arraignment, plea hearing, bail setting
- court administrationclerks, court clerks, docket, dockets, docketing
expungementrecording
Captured audio or video
preservation · retention · criminal record · conviction · documentation
expungementconviction
Firmly held belief
indictment · sentencing · criminal record · guilty verdict · incrimination
expungementpreservation
Maintaining something's condition
retention · permanence · publication · disclosure · archival
- record expungementLegal removal of convictions
expunge, expunged, expunging, expunction, expunges, unexpunged