How is a criminal record expunged in California?
A criminal record can severely affect a person’s rights, including the ability to obtain employment, hold a public office, exercise voting rights, enjoy full child custody rights, serve on a jury, or be a member of the military. To escape from that past, the previously convicted person must expunge, or clear, his or her criminal record. Sometimes this is described as “sealing” or “destroying” the records. After this process, the past blemished record of a person will be cleared and the person will be restored to his original position, as if the person had not committed any offense. California law permits expungement of arrest records when the charges against the arrested persons are not proved. In addition, a convicted person may be eligible for a certificate of rehabilitation, which has limited application and is the first step in the pardon process.
