What is Google's 'Results About You' tool and can it help with court records?

Google's 'Results About You' tool (myaccount.google.com/results-about-you) allows you to request removal of certain personal information from Search. It's most effective for doxxing-type content, contact information, and non-consensual imagery. For court records specifically, the tool may help if the page contains sensitive personal data (SSN, financial account numbers), but court records alone may not qualify without additional factors.

How long does Google take to process a court record removal request?

Google typically reviews legal removal requests within 2-4 weeks. Approved requests result in de-indexing within days of the decision. Complex requests involving multiple URLs or requiring additional documentation may take longer. If a request is denied, you can appeal with additional supporting information. Working with experienced professionals who know Google's removal categories improves approval rates.

How long does online court record removal take?

Online court record removal typically takes 2 to 12 weeks depending on the number of sites publishing your record, each platform's response time, and whether legal processes (expungement, sealing) are involved. Commercial data broker sites tend to respond faster (1-4 weeks) than legal databases (4-8 weeks). Google de-indexing adds another 2-4 weeks. Our team coordinates all removals simultaneously to minimize total time.

Do I need an expungement to remove records from the internet?

No - expungement and online record removal are two separate processes. Many records can be removed from online databases, background check sites, and Google search results without any court order. Expungement seals records from government databases; online removal targets commercial and third-party websites. Both should be pursued together for the most complete result.

What is Google's 'Results About You' tool and can it help with court records?+

Google's 'Results About You' tool (myaccount.google.com/results-about-you) allows you to request removal of certain personal information from Search. It's most effective for doxxing-type content, contact information, and non-consensual imagery. For court records specifically, the tool may help if the page contains sensitive personal data (SSN, financial account numbers), but court records alone may not qualify without additional factors.

How long does Google take to process a court record removal request?+

Google typically reviews legal removal requests within 2-4 weeks. Approved requests result in de-indexing within days of the decision. Complex requests involving multiple URLs or requiring additional documentation may take longer. If a request is denied, you can appeal with additional supporting information. Working with experienced professionals who know Google's removal categories improves approval rates.

Google Personal Information Removal Court Records (2026)

What the Personal Information Removal Tool Actually Is

Google's Personal Information Removal Tool (sometimes called the "Remove personal info from Google" form) is a structured request mechanism that allows individuals to ask Google to remove specific URLs from its search results. It is distinct from Google Search Console (which is for webmasters) and from the Outdated Content Removal tool (which addresses stale cached pages). It is specifically designed for individuals who are not webmasters but want to request removal of personally identifiable information about themselves from Google's search index. For more information, visit the Google removal tool.

The tool was significantly expanded in 2022 and again in 2023, adding new categories of removable content. Despite these expansions, the tool remains narrowly scoped to specific categories of harmful personal data - it is not a general "reputation management" tool or a mechanism for removing information that is merely embarrassing or professionally damaging. Learn more about expungement vs. record sealing on our blog.

Google's own documentation describes the tool's purpose clearly: it is for removing content that "could be used to harm you" through specific, enumerated mechanisms - identity theft, financial fraud, harassment, or stalking. This framing is important because it establishes the frame through which Google evaluates requests. Information that is publicly embarrassing, professionally damaging, or factually misleading but does not fall within these specific harm categories will generally not be accepted through this tool. Learn more about court record removal on our blog.

Expert Insight

The most common mistake we see is people filing Personal Information Removal Tool requests for court records on Justia or FindLaw and then assuming the removal process is complete when those requests are denied. A denial from Google's tool is not the end of the road - it simply means that particular tool is not the right channel for this type of content. The more effective channels for legal aggregator content are the aggregators themselves, not Google. Learn more about background check reports on our blog.

What the Tool Covers: The Eligible Categories

Google's removal tool covers the following categories of personal information: For more information, visit the Google content removal.

Doxxing content: Personal contact information - home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses - published with the apparent intent to facilitate harassment or harm. This is the broadest and most frequently applicable category.
Financial account information: Bank account numbers, credit card numbers, routing numbers, and similar financial identifiers that could enable fraud or identity theft.
Government-issued identification numbers: Social Security numbers, passport numbers, driver's license numbers, and equivalent identifiers from other countries.
Medical records: Specific medical diagnoses, treatment records, and health information that was published without consent.
Login credentials: Exposed usernames and passwords.
Involuntary non-consensual explicit images: Photos or videos of a sexual nature shared without the subject's consent.
Images of minors in certain contexts.

Notice that this list contains no category that directly encompasses "court records," "lawsuit filings," or "criminal case information." Court records do not appear as a named eligible category because they are treated as a category of public information rather than a category of harmful personal data.

What the Tool Does Not Cover: Why Legal Aggregator Results Are Excluded

Court records published on legal aggregator sites - Justia, FindLaw, CourtListener, UniCourt, CaseText - are almost universally treated by Google as content that falls outside the removal tool's scope. There are two overlapping reasons for this: For more information, visit the Google legal removal.

Public interest exception: Google's policies carve out an exception for content that "serves the public interest." Legal proceedings are generally considered matters of public record and public interest. Courts are public institutions; their proceedings are documented to ensure transparency and accountability. The legal aggregator sites are treated as publishers of this public interest content, similar to how news organizations would be treated for reporting on the same proceedings.

Source type exception: Google's policies distinguish between content on platforms whose primary purpose is to republish personal information for commercial purposes (data brokers, people-search sites) and content on platforms with legitimate journalistic or public-record functions. Legal aggregators are categorized in the latter group. Content on Justia or FindLaw is treated more like content in a news archive than like content in a people-search database.

The practical result is consistent: requests to remove court records from Justia, FindLaw, CourtListener, or similar legal aggregators through the Personal Information Removal Tool are denied at a very high rate. Google's reviewers evaluate these requests against the public interest exception and find that the content meets that exception.

Important

Submitting repeated denial-likely requests through the Personal Information Removal Tool does not help your situation and may create a record of complaints that complicates future, more targeted efforts. Before submitting any request, assess whether the content actually falls within one of the tool's eligible categories. For court records on legal aggregators, the answer is almost always no - and the appropriate channel is a direct removal request to the aggregator site, not Google's tool.

Where the Tool Can Help: Adjacent Court Record Situations

While the tool generally does not apply to legal aggregator sites, there are several adjacent situations involving court records where it may be applicable:

Data Broker and People-Search Sites

Sites like Spokeo, Radaris, BeenVerified, PeopleFinders, and Whitepages aggregate personal information from multiple public record sources - including court records - and display it alongside home addresses, phone numbers, family member names, and other personal identifiers. When court record information appears on these sites in combination with contact information and personal identifiers, the content more closely resembles the doxxing category that the tool is designed to address.

Requests targeting people-search sites that combine court record summaries with home addresses and phone numbers have a meaningfully higher success rate through the Personal Information Removal Tool than requests targeting legal aggregators. If your court record appears on a Spokeo-type site alongside your home address, the combined presentation may qualify for removal as doxxing-adjacent content.

Mugshot Aggregator Sites

Mugshot sites operate specifically to republish arrest booking photos and criminal case information. Many of these sites explicitly charge fees for removal - a practice that has attracted significant regulatory scrutiny. Mugshot content often does qualify for Google's removal tool, particularly in states that have enacted specific mugshot site legislation. If your court record exposure involves a mugshot site rather than a legal aggregator, the Personal Information Removal Tool has higher applicability.

Personal Data Combined With Sensitive Categories

If a court record filing itself contains medical information (as some healthcare litigation records do), financial account numbers (as some bankruptcy filings do), or government identification numbers, those specific data points within the filing may qualify for removal under the tool's data category protections. The application is narrow - it applies to the sensitive data within the filing, not to the filing as a whole - but it provides a basis for at least partial removal in specific circumstances.

The Right Tool for Legal Aggregator Content: Direct Removal Requests

For court records on Justia, FindLaw, CourtListener, and similar platforms, the effective removal channel is not Google's tool - it is a direct removal request submitted to the hosting site. Each major aggregator has a content management process:

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1
Identify the exact URL hosting your record. Find the specific page on the specific aggregator site that contains your court record. Note the full URL, the site, and the specific case information displayed.
2
Assess the strength of your removal argument. The strongest arguments involve: expunged or sealed records, dismissed cases (particularly with prejudice), cases where the subject was not the primary defendant, cases involving sealed medical or sensitive information, or cases where privacy interests clearly outweigh public interest in continued publication.
3
Gather supporting documentation. Collect the case documentation that supports your argument - dismissal orders, expungement certificates, sealing orders, or attorney letters confirming resolution. Removal requests without documentation are far less likely to succeed.
4
Submit a formal, documented request to the aggregator. Contact the site through its official removal or privacy request process. Frame the request clearly, cite the specific URL, provide the supporting documentation, and articulate the specific grounds for removal in language that aligns with the site's stated policies.
5
After source removal, use Google's Outdated Content Removal tool. Once the source page is deleted, use the Outdated Content Removal tool (not the Personal Information Removal Tool) to prompt Google to re-crawl the now-dead URL and remove it from its index. This is the correct Google tool for this purpose - it addresses stale cached content, not personal information.

Google's Other Removal Tools: Understanding the Landscape

Google offers several distinct removal mechanisms, and understanding which applies to which situation prevents misdirected effort:

Personal Information Removal Tool: For specific sensitive personal data categories as described above. Generally does not apply to legal aggregator content.
Outdated Content Removal Tool: For pages that have been deleted or significantly updated at the source but are still appearing in Google results. This is the correct tool after a source page has been successfully removed.
Search Console URL Removal: For webmasters who control the source site and want to remove pages they own. Not applicable to third-party aggregator sites.
Legal Removal Requests: Google processes court-ordered removal requests - if a court issues an order requiring removal of specific content, Google will comply. This requires obtaining a court order through legal proceedings.
Right to Be Forgotten (EU/EEA): European Union residents have rights under GDPR that support removal requests for outdated or irrelevant personal information from search results. These rights are broader than what the Personal Information Removal Tool covers and have a higher success rate for court records involving private individuals in EU member states.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Google's removal tool delete court cases from search?

In most cases, no. Google's Personal Information Removal Tool is designed to address specific categories of sensitive personal data - doxxing content, financial account numbers, government IDs, and medical records. Court records published on legal aggregator sites like Justia and FindLaw are generally treated as public interest content and do not meet the tool's eligibility criteria. Requests for this type of content are typically denied.

What types of court records does Google remove?

Google will consider removing court records that appear on certain types of sites rather than legal aggregators - specifically data broker and people-search sites that combine court record information with home addresses, phone numbers, or other personal identifiers in a context that facilitates harassment or doxxing. Court records that contain highly sensitive personal data categories (medical information, financial account details) may also receive consideration. Standard civil or criminal case records on Justia, FindLaw, or CourtListener are generally not covered.

Why was my court record removal request denied by Google?

Google denies court record removal requests that do not meet its specific eligibility criteria. The most common reasons for denial are: the content is published on a legal aggregator or news site that Google treats as a publisher of public interest information; the request seeks removal of reputation-damaging information rather than specifically protected personal data categories; or the content involves a matter of legitimate public concern. A denial does not mean removal is impossible - it means the Google removal tool is not the right channel. Source-site removal requests to the hosting aggregators are the more effective path.

What is the difference between removing from Google vs. removing from the source site?

Removing from Google (de-indexing) means Google stops showing the page in its search results, but the page itself still exists on the source site and is accessible by direct URL or through other search engines. Removing from the source site means the page is actually deleted - it disappears from the site, returns a 404 error, and eventually disappears from all search engines. Source-site removal is more complete and permanent. Google de-indexing is faster but less permanent, as Google may re-index a page if it still exists at the source.

What is the best way to get court records off Google if the removal tool doesn't work?

The most effective path is requesting removal directly from the aggregator site hosting the record - Justia, FindLaw, CourtListener, or whichever site is the source. When the source page is removed, Google stops indexing it. Proactive de-indexing requests through Google's Outdated Content Removal tool (separate from the Personal Information Removal Tool) can accelerate this after source pages are deleted. When source removal is not achievable, suppression through authoritative positive content is the alternative strategy.

Google's Personal Information Removal Tool: Does It Work for Court Records? (2026 Guide)