Quick Overview
- Sealing a court case is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the legal system. Most people assume that if a case is sealed, it simply disappears - from the courts, from Google, from everywhere. The reality is more complicated, and understanding it can make a significant difference in how you manage your legal history and your online reputation.
- The best starting point is consulting a criminal defense or expungement attorney in the state where the case was filed.
- If you've already obtained sealing and your concern is online visibility, that's a different conversation - and one where our team can help assess what may still be publicly accessible and what removal pathways may exist.
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How to Find Out If a Case Can Be Sealed
Determining eligibility for sealing depends on several factors:
- The state where the case was filed - sealing laws vary significantly by jurisdiction
- The type of case - criminal, civil, family, juvenile, federal
- The outcome - dismissed cases, acquittals, and minor convictions may qualify; serious felony convictions often do not
- The time elapsed - many states impose waiting periods before a sealing petition can be filed
- Whether you completed any sentence or diversion program
The best starting point is consulting a criminal defense or expungement attorney in the state where the case was filed. Many attorneys offer free consultations for expungement and sealing matters, and many states have self-help legal clinics that can point you in the right direction.
If you've already obtained sealing and your concern is online visibility, that's a different conversation - and one where our team can help assess what may still be publicly accessible and what removal pathways may exist.
Authoritative Resources
Learn more from USCourts.gov on federal court sealing standards, Cornell Law School's LII definition of court sealing, and the OJJDP's juvenile record confidentiality guidance for state-by-state information.
Related Guides
Why Are Court Cases Sealed? (8 reasons) · Expungement vs. Sealing · Sealed Record Still Showing Online? · Can Sealed Court Records Be Unsealed?
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Frequently Asked Questions
A case may be sealed by court order to protect minors, shield victims of sensitive crimes (sexual assault, trafficking, domestic violence), preserve ongoing investigations, maintain trade secrets in commercial litigation, protect witnesses facing threats, implement expungement orders, or serve national security interests. The court must find that these privacy interests outweigh the general presumption of public access to court proceedings, per standards outlined by the federal court system.
No. When a court case is sealed, the general public - including reporters, employers, landlords, and curious individuals - cannot access the records through the court clerk or public dockets. Only specific authorized parties such as law enforcement, prosecutors, or the case parties themselves may access sealed records through official channels. However, this only applies to the official court record - information already published online before sealing is not affected.
No. Sealing a court case only restricts access through official court channels. It does not automatically remove information from Google, news websites, data broker databases, or other online sources that published the information before or during the case. Separate online removal steps are required, and there is no guarantee that all content can be removed. See our guide on why court records show in Google.
To request sealing, a party, attorney, or prosecutor typically files a written motion with the court that handled the case. The motion must explain the legal basis for sealing and demonstrate that privacy interests override the public's right of access. Some states have specific forms and procedures; others require a formal legal brief. In many cases, a hearing is held before the judge rules on the sealing motion. An expungement attorney can guide you through the process in your jurisdiction.
Yes. Sealed cases can potentially be unsealed if a party with a legitimate interest - such as a journalist, opposing party, or government agency - files a motion to unseal and convinces the court that the public interest outweighs the original privacy justification. Sealing is not necessarily permanent. High-profile examples include the unsealing of documents in the Epstein case and various celebrity divorce proceedings. See our guide on whether sealed court records can be unsealed.
When a court case is sealed, the official court records are restricted from public access. The docket, filings, and documents are no longer accessible through court clerk offices, public search portals, or legal databases. However, the case still exists within the court's internal restricted system. Law enforcement and certain government agencies typically retain access. Critically, sealing has no effect on information that was already published online before the sealing order - those sources are not bound by court orders.
Sealing prevents official courts from disclosing the case on background checks and restricts database-driven court portals from showing it. However, many commercial background check companies maintain their own databases that may not be updated when a record is sealed. Formal FCRA-regulated background checks used in hiring must reflect expunged or sealed records as required by law. Other informational sites are under no such obligation. After sealing, you should contact each background check service separately with a copy of your sealing order and formally request removal.
Law enforcement and prosecutors can access sealed records in most states. Sealed records may be considered in sentencing for future offenses, used to oppose subsequent expungement petitions, and accessed by courts in certain civil proceedings. Federal courts and certain licensing boards also typically have access to sealed state records. Sealing is primarily a shield against public access - it does not erase the record from government systems.
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