The only comprehensive guide to expungement and record sealing law covering all 50 states in a single volume, Expungement and Record Sealing: A Complete 50-State Guide is the definitive reference for everyone navigating the complex landscape of criminal record relief in the United States.
What This Guide Covers
For each of the 50 states, this guide provides: the governing statutes and controlling case law; mandatory waiting periods by offense category; eligible and ineligible offenses; the complete petition procedure from filing through final order; the legal effect of expungement on background checks, employment, housing, and professional licensing; and practical guidance on restoring rights after relief is granted.
Federal Law and Emerging Issues
Beyond state law, this guide addresses federal law and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), including your rights when a background check company fails to reflect an expungement. Special chapters cover automatic expungement and "clean slate" legislation sweeping the nation, marijuana-specific expungement laws, juvenile record sealing, immigration consequences of expungement, and the intersection of record relief with professional licensing boards.
Essential Reference Tools
Thirteen appendices make this the most practical expungement reference available, including: a 50-state quick reference chart; a sample expungement petition; an FCRA dispute letter template; a national resources directory for legal aid and reentry organizations; and a 200+ entry subject index for fast lookups across all 50 states.
Who Needs This Guide
Written by The Legal Advocacy Network for Delaware (LAND) after years of direct advocacy work, this guide is essential reading for: individuals seeking to expunge or seal their own criminal records; public defenders, legal aid attorneys, and paralegals handling expungement cases; reentry case managers and social workers; law school criminal defense clinics; and public libraries serving communities with high demand for legal self-help resources.
Volume I of The Delaware Criminal Justice Reform, Reentry, and Rights Restoration Library - the most complete expungement reference ever published for practitioners and the public alike.
