Seal your record

 You may request that a court seal your arrest records or criminal records. If a judge agrees with your request, the records will no longer be available to the public. However, some government agencies will still be able to see your sealed record. 

A criminal record a person's previous arrests, charges, and convictions. . These records are available for almost everyone  to see unless stated otherwise by la judge. Some records are protected , it can be eligible  to seal  their records .

While both sealing and expunction means  your record is removed from the public's right of access 

Sealing a criminal record, refers to automatic removal and destruction of a person's arrest record This means the person was exonerated and found innocent in court. 

Types of Cases

•  Never filed any criminal charge;
• Criminal charges were filed but dismissed. 
• Tried and found "not guilty" in a jury trial;
• Completed a pre-sentencing program or pretrial diversion; or
• Conviction was overturned on appeal to the Supreme Court or Court of Appeal 

An Expungement  includes the process of petitioning to the court to withdraw any guilty plea, re-enter a plea of "not guilty", and dismiss a criminal case. Expunged conviction records typically show "dismissed" when requested. Those eligible for expungement under include misdemeanor or felony convictions for which:

• Completed probation or has obtained an early termination of probation
• Not currently charged with a criminal offense, on probation for a criminal offense, or serving a sentence ,
• Not sent to California State Prison