Expunging or sealing records

questions & answers

Question: Is expunging an arrest record available if there was no result as a conviction?

Answer:

This answer is for general information only. To see how the law applies to your specific case, please consult a lawyer.

AZLawHelp hasa useful article on expunging/setting aside convictions.  In Arizona, convictions are not expunged; rather, they are “set aside.” However, in a case of arrest, there is generally no expunging or setting aside the record.  In some instances the arrest may always be publically available, in others it may depend on how long a court keeps a particular record.  Some courts have a set time frame from which a record will be purged if there is no further action on an individual file.  For specific information, contact the court in the jurisdicion of the arrest or the law enforcement agency that made the arrest.  In some instances the law enforcement agency may also purge records after a length of time.  It may also be possible to go to the court and law enforcement agency and have a public records search conducted (which may include a fee), this may reveal whether a public record with that entity still exists.