Quick Overview
- What we do. We remove the court record link from Google search results by taking it down at the source, and by pursuing de-indexing where the source will not budge. About This Service →
- What qualifies. Dismissed charges, expunged or sealed records, old arrests, and civil cases on third-party sites often qualify. Active cases, government sites, and news articles get a deeper review to find the best route. What Qualifies →
- What it costs. Nothing upfront. You are billed only once the court record link is confirmed removed from Google search results, and the case review is free. How Pricing Works →
On this page 8 sections
- What Sealing Your Court Record Actually Does
- Sealing vs. Expungement - Understanding Your Options
- Does Your Record Qualify for Sealing?
- The Sealing Process - Step by Step
- State-by-State Overview - Is Your State's Law Working for You?
- After Sealing: Why Your Record Is Still Showing Online
- What to Do the Day You Get Your Sealing Order
- You Don't Have to Handle the Online Cleanup Alone
What Sealing Your Court Record Actually Does
Sealing a court record means petitioning the court to close the case file from public view. Once sealed, your record is no longer accessible through standard court searches, public terminals, or official court databases. Employers running standard background checks won't find it. Landlords won't find it. Journalists can't pull it through normal channels.
The record continues to exist - it is not destroyed - and remains accessible to law enforcement, prosecutors, and certain government agencies. But for everyday life - a job application, a tenant screening, someone curious enough to run a background check on you - a properly sealed record is legally invisible through official channels.
Sealing gives you something real. It lets you move forward from a chapter of your life that no longer defines who you are. But it has one significant limitation that surprises almost everyone who goes through the process:
Sealing your record does not remove it from Google, Justia, CourtListener, or any other third-party website. Those platforms scraped and indexed your record before you ever filed for sealing. They have no legal obligation to update their databases when a court seals a case. The online cleanup is a separate process - and it must be started the moment your sealing order is issued.
Sealing vs. Expungement - Understanding Your Options
Both sealing and expungement give you legal relief from public record access - but they work differently, and knowing the distinction helps you pursue the right remedy. It also tells you what documentation you'll have when requesting removal from online databases.
Sealing
- Record is hidden from public view
- Record still physically exists
- Accessible to law enforcement and some agencies
- Available in more situations than expungement
- May still show in certain professional background checks
- You may need to disclose in some contexts (security clearances, law enforcement jobs)
- Available in most states for qualifying cases
Expungement
- Record is destroyed or treated as nonexistent
- Stronger legal remedy
- Generally not accessible even to law enforcement (varies by state)
- Stricter eligibility requirements
- You can typically deny the case existed on job applications
- Provides stronger documentation for online removal requests
- Not available in all states for all case types
For the purpose of online removal, both sealing and expungement serve the same essential function: they give you a certified court order to present to database operators and Google as grounds for removal. The online cleanup process is essentially identical regardless of which legal remedy you obtained. Either order is powerful documentation when used correctly.
Does Your Record Qualify for Sealing?
Eligibility varies significantly by state, but these are the categories that qualify in most jurisdictions - and your situation may be stronger than you think:
- Arrests without conviction - charges that were dismissed, not filed, or resulted in acquittal. These are among the most consistently sealable records across all states.
- Dismissed charges - cases where the prosecution dropped charges or a diversion program was completed successfully.
- First-time nonviolent offenses - particularly misdemeanors and lower-level felonies where the sentence has been completed and a waiting period has passed.
- Juvenile records - most states have strong protections for juvenile records, and many allow sealing at age 18 or after a waiting period.
- Deferred adjudication / diversion completions - cases where the defendant completed a program in lieu of conviction.
- Certain misdemeanor convictions - eligible after sentence completion and a statutory waiting period (varies by state, typically 1-5 years).
Generally not eligible for sealing in most states:
- Serious violent felonies (murder, rape, assault with serious bodily injury)
- Sex offenses requiring registration as a sex offender
- DUI/DWI convictions in many states
- Cases with multiple prior convictions on record
- Cases involving victims who are minors (in certain offense categories)
An attorney in your state can tell you precisely whether your case qualifies - eligibility rules are highly specific and change frequently as states pass record-clearing reform legislation. Many people are surprised to find their record is sealable when they thought it wasn't.
The Sealing Process - Step by Step
Sealing a court record is a formal legal proceeding: you file a petition, potentially attend a hearing, and receive a court order. Here is the general process - specific requirements vary by state and county, so consult an attorney in your jurisdiction.
Determine eligibility
Research your state's specific sealing statutes or consult a record-clearing attorney. Confirm that your case type, offense, and time since completion meet the eligibility requirements.
Obtain your complete case history
Request your criminal history from the state police or court system. You need the full case number, disposition, sentence, and dates. Some states require a background check from the state agency as part of the petition.
File the petition for sealing
Draft and file the petition in the court where the case was adjudicated. Many courts have standard forms; some require custom drafting. Pay the filing fee (typically $100-$400). The petition must typically include: your personal information, the case number, the grounds for sealing, and your statement supporting the relief.
Serve the prosecution (if required)
Many states require you to notify the prosecutor's office and give them an opportunity to object to the sealing petition. If the prosecution objects, a contested hearing may be scheduled.
Attend the hearing (if scheduled)
Some petitions are decided on the papers without a hearing; others require a court appearance. If a hearing is scheduled, you or your attorney present the case for sealing to the judge, who may ask questions about your rehabilitation and the grounds for relief.
Receive and certify the sealing order
If the petition is granted, the court issues a sealing order. Obtain certified copies immediately - you will need these for online removal requests. The court will send copies to relevant agencies (state police, arresting agency) to update official records.
Begin the online cleanup immediately - don't wait
The moment your certified sealing order is in hand, begin submitting removal requests to legal databases and Google. Every week of delay is time during which additional sites may scrape and republish your record. The legal victory is real - now protect it by cleaning up the online trail too.
State-by-State Overview - Is Your State's Law Working for You?
Sealing laws vary dramatically by state, and many states have recently expanded eligibility. Below is a quick reference for ten major states. This is general information only - consult an attorney for advice specific to your case and jurisdiction.
CACalifornia
Strong sealing laws under PC 851.91 for arrests not resulting in conviction. Senate Bill 731 (effective 2023) expanded automatic relief for many felony convictions. Waiting periods vary by offense type. Prop 47 allows reclassification of certain felonies to misdemeanors before sealing.
TXTexas
Texas uses "Orders of Nondisclosure" rather than sealing. Available for deferred adjudication completions and certain misdemeanors. DWI nondisclosure available for first-time offenders under specific conditions. Waiting periods of 2-5 years typical for felonies.
FLFlorida
Florida has strict sealing laws - only one sealing in a lifetime. Eligible for: charges not resulting in conviction, withheld adjudication, or successful completion of a diversion program. Many felony convictions are excluded. Only one prior seal or expunge allowed.
NYNew York
New York's CPL §160.59 allows sealing of up to two misdemeanors or one felony and one misdemeanor after a 10-year waiting period. Arrests without prosecution can be sealed more easily. CPL §160.50 covers automatic sealing of terminated cases.
ILIllinois
Illinois has expanded sealing significantly in recent years. Many misdemeanors and some felonies are sealable. Arrests without conviction are sealable. Waiting periods vary: 3 years for misdemeanors, 4 years for Class 4 felonies. Some DUI records can now be sealed.
GAGeorgia
Georgia allows restriction (sealing) of first-time offender records and certain dismissed charges. O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 governs record restriction. Waiting periods apply. Not all offenses qualify - serious felonies and sex offenses are excluded.
AZArizona
Arizona passed comprehensive record sealing legislation (ARS § 13-911) effective 2023, significantly expanding eligibility. Most criminal records are now potentially sealable after waiting periods ranging from 2-10 years depending on offense severity. Excludes certain serious violent and sex offenses.
COColorado
Colorado has one of the more comprehensive sealing frameworks. Most criminal records, including some felonies, can be sealed after waiting periods. Drug conviction sealing is available after completion of treatment programs. Petitions go to the district court of conviction.
NJNew Jersey
New Jersey's Clean Slate Law (2020) allows automatic expungement for many offenders after 10 years. Petition-based expungement is available sooner. First-time drug offenders have accelerated pathways. The state has been expanding eligibility in recent years.
WAWashington
Washington allows vacation (similar to expungement) of certain misdemeanor and felony convictions after statutory waiting periods. The Washington State Supreme Court has expanded eligibility through court rules. Marijuana convictions have expedited vacation pathways under recent legislation.
After Sealing: Why Your Record Is Still Showing Online
This is the moment that blindsides almost everyone. You've gone through the legal process - paid the filing fees, waited months, attended hearings, finally received the court order. You feel genuine relief. Then you Google your name the next morning, and your case is still right there, prominently displayed on Justia, CourtListener, or three different background check sites.
It's not a mistake. It's not a sign something went wrong. It is simply how the system works - and it's fixable.
Legal databases and background check services have no obligation to check for court sealing orders. They indexed your record when it was public, and they have no legal requirement to un-index it when a court seals the case. The court sends sealing notifications to law enforcement and government agencies - not to commercial data publishers who are in the business of comprehensive coverage.
Why Third-Party Sites Don't Automatically Update
- No legal obligation. First Amendment principles and the absence of federal data privacy law for court records means commercial publishers have no legal duty to update or remove records when courts seal them.
- No notification system. Courts do not send sealing orders to Justia, CourtListener, or Spokeo. There is no pipeline between court systems and commercial databases.
- Business model incentives. Legal databases make money from comprehensive coverage. Removing records reduces their value proposition for legal research and background screening customers.
- Static indexing. Many legal databases indexed records once (when they first scraped the court data) and have not rechecked those records since. They're showing a snapshot from the past.
Sealing is the legal remedy. Online removal is the practical remedy. You deserve both. Most people know about the legal process. Very few know the online cleanup even exists - until they see their sealed record still ranking on Google. Now you know. And you can do something about it.
What to Do the Day You Get Your Sealing Order
Once you have your certified sealing order in hand, start the online cleanup immediately - that same week. Here is the process:
- Run a full name audit. Search your name on Google, Bing, and directly on major legal databases (Justia, CourtListener, Casetext, FindLaw, UniCourt, Trellis, Plainsite). Search background check sites (Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, Intelius). Document every URL showing your sealed record.
- Make certified copies of your sealing order. Get at least five certified copies from the court clerk. You will attach these to removal requests - do not send originals.
- Submit removal requests to each database. Use each platform's specific contact method. Include: the exact URL, your case number, a statement that the record has been sealed, and a copy of the sealing order. CourtListener, Plainsite, and Leagle are most responsive. Justia, Casetext, and FindLaw often need a more tailored request and are well worth pursuing.
- Submit background check opt-outs. Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, TruthFinder, Intelius, and Instant Checkmate all have opt-out forms. Submit to all of them, not just the ones you found your record on.
- Submit Google de-indexing requests. For every URL still showing your record after 2-3 weeks, submit a Google Personal Information Removal Tool request. Cite the sealing order and any personal information exposed. Google is more responsive to sealing orders than many database operators.
- Apply suppression for what remains. If any results are stubborn after 6-8 weeks of removal efforts, begin building suppression content - LinkedIn, personal website, professional profiles - to push the remaining results off page one.
You Don't Have to Handle the Online Cleanup Alone
Many people complete the legal sealing process with an attorney and then don't know where to turn for the online piece. That's completely understandable - online reputation management after sealing is an entirely different skill set from legal practice. It involves knowing each platform's specific process, having established relationships with database privacy teams, and running a sustained content strategy when needed.
Professional help is particularly valuable when any of these apply:
- Your record appears on many platforms (common after a high-profile case)
- Major commercial databases like Justia or Law360 have denied your initial requests
- AI search tools are surfacing the record (no consumer opt-out exists; requires source removal)
- A career transition, job offer, or business partnership creates urgency
- You want suppression built simultaneously with removal
Our process starts with a free, completely confidential case review - no judgment about what's in the record, no commitment required. We audit every platform showing your record, give you a clear and honest picture of what's achievable, and work on a results-based model with no large upfront cost. Over 5,000 people have started with that same conversation. We help identify whether removal, de-indexing, or suppression options may be available for your specific situation - and we'll tell you what we find either way.
"Transparent, specific, and honest from day one. They told me which records were removable and which weren't before I paid anything."
You've Done the Legal Work - Let's Finish the Job Online
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Frequently Asked Questions
No. Sealing a court record closes the official court file from public view, but it does not automatically remove the record from Google search results, legal databases like Justia or CourtListener, or background check sites. These third-party platforms have no legal obligation to update their records when a court seals a case. You must separately pursue online removal after sealing - submitting removal requests to each database and Google de-indexing requests for each URL still showing your record.
Which records can be sealed varies significantly by state, but commonly eligible records include: arrests without conviction, dismissed charges, first-time nonviolent offenses, juvenile records, certain misdemeanors, and cases where the defendant successfully completed a diversion or deferred adjudication program. Serious violent felonies, sex offenses requiring registration, and cases with multiple prior convictions are typically excluded. An attorney in your state can tell you whether your specific case qualifies.
The legal process for sealing court records typically takes 3-6 months from filing the petition to receiving the court order, though this varies by state and court backlog. Some states have streamlined processes for clear-cut cases (dismissed charges, completed diversion programs) that may resolve faster. After the sealing order is issued, it typically takes 2-4 weeks for the court's own systems to reflect the sealed status.
Sealed records are generally accessible to: law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, criminal courts in future proceedings, certain government licensing agencies, and in some states, employers in specific fields (education, law enforcement, childcare). Sealed records are not accessible to standard employment background check companies, landlords, or the general public. The specific access rules vary by state and by the type of case sealed.
Yes. A court can unseal records on a motion from a party with a legitimate interest, such as a prosecutor in a subsequent criminal case or a party to civil litigation with a court order. However, routine requests from employers, landlords, or individuals are not sufficient grounds to unseal records. Unsealing is uncommon for properly sealed records.
For the purpose of online removal, sealing and expungement both serve the same function: they provide documented legal relief that you can present to database operators and Google when requesting removal. The online cleanup process is essentially the same regardless of which legal remedy you obtained. The main difference is that expungement orders often carry slightly more weight with some platforms because they represent a more complete legal remedy.