Quick Overview
- An expungement attorney (also called an expunction lawyer) handles the legal petition process to have your criminal record sealed or destroyed by court order.
- After a successful expungement, most people expect the internet to update automatically.
- If you haven't yet pursued legal expungement, starting there is the right move - a court order gives you the strongest grounds for demanding removal from every platform.
What an Expungement Attorney Actually Does
An expungement attorney (also called an expunction lawyer) handles the legal petition process to have your criminal record sealed or destroyed by court order. Their work includes reviewing your eligibility under your state's expungement statute, drafting and filing the petition with the appropriate court, serving the prosecuting attorney, representing you at any required hearings, and serving the expungement order on relevant agencies (court clerk, state police, arresting agency) after the court grants it.
What an expungement attorney does not do: notify Google, contact legal databases like Justia or CourtListener, submit opt-out requests to background check companies, or monitor the internet for re-population of your data. The American Bar Association provides guidance on finding legal representation. For a clear overview of expungement basics by state, Nolo's expungement guide is a useful starting point. Learn more about expungement attorney costs and how to find one near you on our blog.
An expungement attorney (also called an expunction lawyer) handles the legal petition process to have your criminal record sealed or destroyed by court order. Their work includes: For more information, visit the ABA.
- Reviewing your eligibility under your state's expungement statute
- Filing a petition for expungement with the appropriate court
- Representing you at any required hearings
- Serving the expungement order on relevant agencies (court clerk, state police, arresting agency)
- Following up to confirm agencies have updated their records
What an expungement attorney does not do: notify Google, contact legal databases like Justia or CourtListener, submit opt-out requests to background check companies, or monitor the internet for re-population of your data.
What Happens After Expungement - The Internet Problem
This surprises almost everyone. After a successful expungement, most people expect the internet to update automatically. It doesn't. Third-party websites - Justia, CourtListener, Spokeo, BeenVerified - scraped your case data before expungement. Your court order is directed at government agencies; it has no jurisdiction over private platforms. Those sites have no automatic legal obligation to remove data they already captured and indexed.
The result: your record is legally clean, but a Google search of your name still surfaces the old case information. Employers, landlords, and anyone else who searches your name can still find it. Addressing this requires separate action targeting each platform individually. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, background check companies must report accurate information - meaning your expungement order gives you grounds to demand updates from those services. See the FTC's background check guide at consumer.ftc.gov for your rights. Learn more about expunged records still showing online and expungement vs. sealing on our blog.
This surprises almost everyone. After a successful expungement, most people expect the internet to update automatically. It doesn't. Here's why: For more information, visit the Nolo expungement.
- Third-party websites (Justia, CourtListener, Spokeo, BeenVerified) scraped your case before the expungement
- Your expungement order is directed at government agencies - not private companies
- Those private companies have no legal obligation to remove data they already captured
- Google continues indexing whatever those sites show
The result: your record is legally clean, but a Google search of your name still surfaces the old case information. Employers, landlords, and dates can still find it. Learn more about expungement vs. record sealing on our blog.
Expungement Attorney vs. Court Record Removal Service
| Expungement Attorney | Court Record Removal Service |
|---|---|
| Files legal petition in court | Contacts websites hosting your record |
| Handles court hearings | Submits Google de-indexing requests |
| Serves state agencies with order | Opts out of data broker databases |
| Clears official criminal record | Removes results from Google search |
| Typically $1,000-$3,500 | Varies by scope; results-based pricing |
| Timeline: 3-12 months | Timeline: 2-8 weeks for search results |
When Do You Need Both?
If you haven't yet pursued legal expungement, starting there is the right move - a court order gives you the strongest grounds for demanding removal from every platform. An expungement attorney handles that first phase. Learn more about court record removal on our blog.
After expungement, or if you're already expunged and records still appear online, a court record removal service handles the internet cleanup that expungement attorneys don't provide. Learn more about background check reports on our blog.
Many clients need both. The legal process and the internet removal process are parallel tracks that solve different problems.
How to Find an Expungement Attorney
If you need legal expungement:
- State bar referral services - Most state bars have lawyer referral programs with initial consultations for $25-$50
- Legal aid organizations - Income-qualified individuals may receive free expungement help from nonprofit legal aid
- Law school clinics - Many law schools offer free or low-cost expungement clinics
- Private expungement attorneys - Search specifically for criminal defense or expungement attorneys in your state
Free Expungement Resources by State
Many states offer self-help expungement resources for straightforward cases. Your state court's website, legal aid organizations, and nonprofit record-clearing clinics are good starting points. However, if your case involves multiple charges, convictions in multiple jurisdictions, or complex eligibility questions, an attorney's guidance is worth the investment.
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