Expungement Basics

If you’re like most people with a criminal record, you’d love to have a fresh start – and you can, through a process known as expungement.

What is Expungement?

An expungement is a court-ordered process that effectively gets rid of your criminal record. Once it’s expunged, it’s not going to come up in background checks or hold you back from getting a job, a place to live, or a loan.

Find out if you’re eligible for expungement now.

Expungement is different from criminal record sealing, which simply conceals your record from public view. (If you’re not eligible for expungement, you could still be eligible for criminal record sealing.) Some agencies may still have access to some or all of your criminal record, such as the military, law enforcement agencies, or employers (like those in the healthcare field).

Expungement Basics

If your criminal record is expunged:

  • Your record is destroyed or sent back to you
  • You don’t have to tell people you had a criminal record
  • Employers, lenders, and private investigators won’t be able to find your criminal record
  • You get a fresh start

How to Get Your Record Expunged in Chicago

If you’re interested in clearing your criminal record in Chicago, Rolling Meadows, Skokie or another city, your first step may be to talk to a Chicago expungement attorney

Call us at 847-920-4540 for a free case review. We’ll look at your record (or conduct a background check if necessary) and determine whether you’re eligible for expungement or sealing – and then we’ll take the appropriate steps to file a petition with the court on your behalf.