Quick Overview
- Common dispositions include: For more information, visit the Cornell Law disposition.
- Yes - disposed does not mean invisible.
- Disposed means the case is concluded.
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What Does Disposed Mean?
'Disposed' in court records simply means the case has been resolved - it is no longer pending. The case has a final outcome. Common dispositions include: For more information, visit the Cornell Law disposition.
- Dismissed: The charges were dropped - by the prosecution (nolle prosequi), by the court, or after diversion program completion
- Acquitted / Not guilty: The defendant was found not guilty at trial
- Convicted / Found guilty: After trial, the defendant was found guilty
- Guilty plea: The defendant pled guilty to some or all charges
- No contest (nolo contendere): The defendant did not contest the charges without admitting guilt
- Deferred/Diverted: The case was resolved through a diversion program, with dismissal upon completion
- Transferred: The case was transferred to another court
- Vacated: The judgment was set aside by the court
Does Disposed Still Show Up on Background Checks?
Yes - disposed does not mean invisible. Whether a disposed case appears on a background check depends on the specific disposition and your state's laws: For more information, visit the BJS Bureau of Justice Statistics.
- Dismissed charges: Often still appear on court records searches and comprehensive background checks, though they cannot be used to deny employment in many states. Some states allow expungement of dismissed charges.
- Acquittals: Appear in court records. Eligible for expungement in most states.
- Convictions: Appear on most background checks. Eligible for expungement/sealing in some cases based on state law and offense type.
- Diversion completions: Often expungeable after successful completion.
Does 'Disposed' Mean the Same as Expunged?
No. Disposed means the case is concluded. Expunged means the record has been restricted or destroyed by court order. A case can be disposed (concluded) without ever being expunged. Expungement is a separate legal process that occurs after disposition - you apply for it, the court orders it, and then the record is restricted. Until expungement occurs, a disposed case remains in the public court record. Learn more about expungement vs. record sealing on our blog.
How to Remove a Disposed Case from Google
If a disposed case - whether dismissed, acquitted, or conviction - appears in Google: Learn more about background check reports on our blog.
- Determine whether you are eligible for expungement based on the specific disposition and your state's law
- If eligible, petition for expungement - this is the primary lever for official record removal
- After expungement, submit removal requests to data brokers and aggregator sites
- Use Google's Personal Information Removal Tool for de-indexing of expunged records
- If expungement does not apply, work on data broker opt-outs, de-indexing and suppression strategies
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Frequently Asked Questions
Disposed on a background check means the court case has been concluded with a final outcome. The specific disposition - dismissed, not guilty, convicted, guilty plea - is what matters for background check purposes. A dismissed disposition is very different from a conviction, even though both show as 'disposed.' Some background check services show only the word 'disposed' without the specific outcome, which can be confusing and is sometimes disputed.
Yes. A disposed court case remains in the public record until expunged or sealed by court order. Disposed simply means the case is concluded - it does not mean invisible. Court portals, data broker sites, and legal aggregators continue to show disposed cases unless actively removed. The specific type of disposition (dismissed vs. convicted) affects eligibility for expungement, but all disposed cases remain in public records until legal relief is obtained.
Dismissed is one type of disposition. Disposed is the broader term meaning 'case concluded.' When a case is dismissed, it is disposed (concluded) with a disposition of dismissal. Other dispositions include conviction, acquittal, guilty plea, and deferred sentence. A disposed case with a conviction is very different from a disposed case with a dismissal - even though both use the word 'disposed' in the case status field.
It depends on the disposition and your state's expungement law. Non-conviction dispositions (dismissed charges, acquittals, diverted cases) are generally eligible for expungement in most states - often immediately after the case is disposed. Conviction dispositions (guilty plea, conviction after trial) have varying eligibility depending on offense type, waiting period, and state law. Check your specific state's expungement statutes for eligibility criteria.
A disposed case stays in the public court record indefinitely unless expunged or sealed by court order. There is no automatic expiration for court records in most states. The disposition date, the charges, and the outcome remain in the court's records and on data broker sites until actively removed. Some background check services have their own policies on how many years back they report, but the underlying court records remain.
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