Expungement
7 articles on expungement from Gavel Daily.
Does an Expunged Case Still Show Up on a Background Check?
Expungement almost never means deletion. Courts, prosecutors, and police usually keep access, a sealed conviction can still enhance a later sentence, and private screening companies sometimes keep reporting a case the court already closed. Here is what relief does, who keeps seeing it, and the exact steps to force a stale report to change.
Virginia's Automatic Sealing Deadline Is October 1. Marijuana Records Already Went First.
Virginia's Clean Slate law has been live since July 1, 2026. October 1 is the deadline for State Police to hand courts the first batch of 112,231 sealable conviction offenses, not the day sealing starts. And old marijuana possession records never needed the batch at all.
Virginia Started Sealing Convictions for the First Time in Its History on July 1: What Actually Went Live and Who Qualifies
On July 1, 2026, Virginia began sealing criminal convictions for the first time ever. Here is the eligibility map: what seals automatically, what requires a petition, and why 'sealed' still is not a blank slate.
For the First Time in U.S. History, a Federal Conviction Can Be Erased: The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act Opens the Door
The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act, signed into law in January 2026, is the first federal statute to authorize expungement of a federal criminal record. Here is what it does, who qualifies, and why it matters far beyond trafficking cases.
Your Criminal Record Could Seal Itself, No Lawyer and No Petition Required: The Automatic Clean Slate Wave Reaching Pennsylvania, Illinois and Beyond in 2026
Automatic record sealing is spreading across the country in 2026. Virginia's Clean Slate law takes effect July 1, and roughly 13 states plus D.C. now seal eligible records with no application. Here is what auto-sealing covers, why sealed is not the same as expunged, and the steps to take in your state.
Virginia's Clean Slate Law Starts Sealing Convictions July 1. The Same Day, Your Criminal Record Goes Online Statewide
On July 1, 2026, Virginia begins sealing actual criminal convictions for the first time. The same day, the State Police puts criminal history records online for instant download. Here is who qualifies, who is left out, and why the timing raises the stakes for everyone.
Clean Slate Goes Automatic in 2026: How Felony Records Are Getting Sealed Without Anyone Filing a Petition
Fourteen states and DC now seal eligible criminal records without a petition. Here is how the automation works, what it misses, and why your old plea language still controls the outcome.