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New Jersey
Adult Criminal Record Clearance Overview
Adult criminal records for cases in which you were convicted are eligible for expungement in some situations. You have to file a petition in court to start the process, and it is up to the judge whether or not to grant your petition.
- If you were convicted but later found factually innocent by a judge, the record can be expunged immediately.
- If you are a servicemember who successfully participated in a Veterans Diversion Program, the record can be expunged upon dismissal.
- If you are convicted of a municipal ordinance violation and have no previous or subsequent criminal violations, the record can be expunged five years from the date of conviction, payment of fine, completion or probation, or release from incarceration, whichever is later.
- If you are convicted of a crime because of identity theft, records containing your name as perpetrator of the crime can be deleted, sealed, labeled, or corrected to remove such name.
- With certain exceptions, if you were convicted of a crime and have not been convicted of any crime or offense since the date of discharge from special probation, the record can be expunged 10 years after successfully completing special probation.
- If you were convicted but successfully completed supervisory treatment, conditional discharge, or a conditional dismissal program, the record can be expunged 6 months after dismissal.
- If you are convicted of prostitution because of being a victim of human trafficking, the record can be expunged.
Adult criminal records for cases in which you completed a diversion or deferral program are eligible for expungement in some situations. You must file a petition in court to start the process, and it is up to the judge whether or not to grant your petition.
- With certain exceptions, if you successfully completed deferred-sentence probation in a misdemeanor case, the record can be expunged immediately.
- With certain exceptions, if you successfully completed deferred-sentence probation in a felony case, the record can be expunged immediately.
Adult criminal records for arrests for which you were never convicted are eligible for expungement. You have to file a petition in court to start the process, and it is up to the judge whether or not to grant your petition.
- If all charges were dismissed, you were acquitted, or the case in any way ended without a conviction, the record can be expunged immediately.
- If you were arrested for a felony, but the case ended with only a misdemeanor conviction, the record of the felony arrest can be expunged immediately.
Adult Criminal Record Clearance Policies
Convictions
Records relating to a disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons conviction may be expunged by the court five years after sentence completion for a person with no indictable offense conviction and no more than five disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons convictions. Multiple offenses may be treated as one if convictions were entered on the same day or offenses were "interdependent or closely related in circumstances and were committed as part of a sequence of events that took place within a comparatively short period of time". N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-3(a), (b).
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Records relating to a conviction for prostitution, loitering for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, or a similar local ordinance can be vacated and expunged by the court if the petitioner's participation in the offense was a result of having been a victim of human trafficking. N.J. Stat. § 2C:44-1.1(a)(1).
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Records related to a conviction for a marijuana related offense that occurred prior to the development of a system for sealing records (June 15, 2020) can be expunged after completion of probation/parole or release from incarceration or discharge from legal custody. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-5.1(a)(1)(a).
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A person who is convicted of one or more crimes, or one or more disorderly persons, or petty disorderly persons offenses, and who is not otherwise eligible to obtain an expungement under any other section of chapter 52 of Title C of the New Jersey Statutes, can have their record expunged. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-5.3.
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Prosecutors shall dismiss marijuana related charges for offenses that occurred prior to February 22, 2021. N.J. Stat. § 2C:35-23.1(a).
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A marijuana related conviction, remaining sentence, ongoing supervision, or unpaid court-ordered financial assessment that is pending in court prior to February 22, 2021, may be vacated. N.J. Stat. § 2C:35-23.1 (b).
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Records of specified drug offenses committed before age 21 may be expunged by the court one year after sentence completion for a person without any other drug conviction or violation of probation or parole. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-5.
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Records relating to a conviction for an indictable offense may be expunged by the court five years from the date of his most recent conviction, payment of any court-ordered financial assessment, satisfactory completion of probation or parole, or release from incarceration, whichever is later, so long as the person has no other indictable offense convictions and no more than three disorderly person or petty disorderly person convictions. Multiple indictable offenses may be treated as one if listed in a single judgement of conviction or if offenses were "interdependent or closely related in circumstances and were committed as part of a sequence of events that took place within a comparatively short period of time." N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-2(a).
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Records relating to a municipal ordinance violations can be expunged by the court two years from the date of his conviction, payment of fine, satisfactory completion of probation or release from incarceration, whichever is later, without any prior or subsequent criminal conviction. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-4.
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Diversion/Deferral Program
Records relating to criminal offenses that were discharged after successful completion of a special probation may be expunged by the court. N.J. Stat. § 2C:35-14(m)(5).
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Records relating to criminal offenses that were discharged after successful completion of a special probation may be expunged by the court 10 years after completion of the special probation. N.J. Stat. § 2C:35-14(m)(6).
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Records related to an arrest and charge are expunged six months after case dismissal following supervisory treatment, conditional discharge, or conditional dismissal program. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-6(c).
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Records of an arrest that are dismissed following an eligible servicemember's successful participation in a Veterans Diversion Program pursuant to P.L.2017, c.42 (C.2C:43-23 et al.), can be expunged at time of dismissal. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-6(a)(6), (c)(2).
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Factual Innocence
Records of an arrest and conviction containing the name of an identity theft victim as the perpetrator of a crime can be deleted, sealed, labeled, or corrected to remove the name of such victim. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-32.1.
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Non-Conviction Arrests
Records related to an arrest and charge not resulting in a conviction are ordered expunged at the time of dismissal, acquittal, or discharge. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-6.
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Juvenile Record Clearance Overview
Below is a general overview of when juvenile records can be expunged in Louisiana. Please note that the Clean Slate Clearinghouse does not provide legal advice.
Read the legal policies and statutes for detailed statutory information.
Juvenile Record Clearance Policies Overview
Most juvenile records can be expunged.
- If charges were never filed against you or your case was dismissed, your record can be expunged at any time. You must submit a request to the court to start the process, and the judge is required to grant your request if you meet the criteria.
- If you were adjudicated (found guilty) for anything except murder, manslaughter, a sex offense requiring you to register, kidnapping, or armed robbery, your record can be expunged after your case closes or you are released from probation or commitment. You must submit a request to the court to start the process, and the judge is required to grant your request if you meet the criteria.
- If you were adjudicated for disorderly or petty disorderly offenses for more than one, but the less than five adjudications, the record can be expunged three years after your release from probation or commitment. You must submit a request to the court to start the process, and it is up to the judge whether or not to grant your request.
- If you were adjudicated (found guilty) for a crime and are enlisted in any branch of the United States Armed Forces, your record can be sealed. You must submit a request to the court to start the process and the judge may grant your request if you meet the criteria.
- If you were adjudicated (found guilty) for an offense that would be considered a crime if committed by an adult, your record can be expunged three years after you have been discharged, and you are not subjected to a disqualifying event. You must submit a request to the court to start the process, and it is up to the judge whether to grant your request.
- If you were adjudicated (found guilty) for a crime that would have constituted a disorderly or petty disorderly offense if committed by an adult, your record can be expunged immediately as long as you are not subjected to a disqualifying event. You must submit a request to the court to start the process, and the judge is required to grant your request if you meet the criteria.
- If you have more than one, but less than five adjudications, that would constitute disorderly or petty disorderly offenses if committed by an adult, the record can be expunged upon petition, so long as the person is not subject to a disqualifying event and at least five years have elapsed from the most recent adjudication, payment of fine, completion of probation, or release from commitment, whichever is later. You have to submit a request to the court to start the process, and it is up to the judge whether or not to grant your request.
- If you were adjudicated for a crime that would have been an ordinance violation if committed by an adult, your record can be expunged if you are not subjected to a disqualifying event. You must submit a request to the court to start the process, and the judge is required to grant your request if you meet the criteria.
- If you were adjudicated for a crime that was dismissed after completion of a supervisory treatment program, conditional discharge, or conditional dismissal, your record can be expunged six months after dismissal if you are not subjected to a disqualifying event. You must submit a request to the court to start the process, and it is up to the judge whether to grant your request.
- If a juvenile delinquency complaint was filed against you, it can be vacated and sealed after two years from final discharge or the entry of any court order not involving custody or supervision, and you are not subjected to a disqualifying event. You must submit a request to the court to start the process, and it is up to the judge whether to grant your request.
- If you were convicted of a controlled substance related offense that occurred on July 1, 2021, your conviction can be vacated. You must submit a request to the court to start the process, and it is up to the judge whether to grant your request.
- If you were convicted of certain controlled substance related offenses which if committed by an adult would constitute a crime, your conviction can be vacated.
- If you were convicted of a marijuana related offense that occurred prior to February 22, 2021, your records can be expunged.
- Prior to June 15, 2020, if you were convicted of a marijuana related offense, your record can be expunged after completing probation or parole or release from incarceration.
- You may not be eligible for expungement if you have certain convictions or adjudications on your record or have pending criminal or juvenile charges.
Find a Lawyer
If you think you might be eligible to have your record expunged, find a lawyer who may be able to help you. Some lawyers might help you for free, although you may still need to pay a fee to file the paperwork in court.
Court Forms and Resources
If you cannot find a lawyer to help you, you may be able to file a petition on your own using these court forms and resources.
Juvenile Record Clearance Policies
Court Records
A juvenile conviction for a marijuana related offense that occurred prior to February 22, 2021, will be expunged on the first day of the fifth month following that date. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-6.1.
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Records related to an adjudication for delinquent acts which if committed by an adult would constitute a marijuana related offense that occurred prior to the development of a system for sealing records (June 15, 2020), can be expunged after completion of probation/parole or release from incarceration or discharge from legal custody. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-5.1(a)(1)(a).
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Records related to more than one but less than five adjudications that would have constituted disorderly or petty disorderly persons offenses if committed by an adult, can be expunged upon petition so long as the person is not subject to a disqualifying event and at least three but less than five years have elapsed from the most recent adjudication, payment of fine, completion of probation, or release from commitment, whichever is later, and the person has not been otherwise convicted of a crime, disorderly persons offense, or petty disorderly persons offense since the time of the most recent conviction, and the court finds in its discretion that compelling circumstances exist to grant the expungement N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-3(b), (b)(2).
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Court Records and Law Enforcement Records
Records relating only more than one but less than five adjudications that would have constituted disorderly or petty disorderly persons offenses if committed by an adult can be expunged upon petition, so long as the person is not subject to a disqualifying event and at least five years have elapsed from the most recent adjudication, payment of fine, completion of probation, or release from commitment, whichever is later. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-3.
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Records relating to an adjudication that would have constituted an ordinance violation if committed by an adult can be expunged upon petition. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-4.1(a)(3).
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The entire record relating to delinquency adjudications can be expunged upon petition, so long as three years have elapsed and the person is not subject to a disqualifying event; periods of post-incarceration supervision pursuant to section 25 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-44), shall not be considered in calculating the three-year period. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:52-4.1(b)(1).
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Records relating to a delinquency matter that was dismissed or the person was found not delinquent can be expunged upon dismissal so long as the person is not subject to a disqualifying event. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:52-4.1(c).
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Records relating to a delinquency matter that was dismissed following a program of supervisory treatment, conditional discharge, or conditional dismissal can be expunged six months after dismissal, so long as the person is not subject to a disqualifying event. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:52-6.
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Records relating to a juvenile delinquency complaint may be vacated and sealed upon petition, so long as two years have elapsed since final discharge from custody or supervision, or since the entry of any other court order not involving custody or supervision, and the person is not subject to a disqualifying event. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:4A-62(a).
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Records relating to an adjudication of delinquency can be sealed upon petition if the person is enlisted in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:4A-62(b).
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Records relating to an adjudication that would have constituted a crime if committed by an adult can be expunged upon petition, so long as the person is not subject to a disqualifying event and at least 3 years since the final discharge of the person from legal custody or supervision or 3 years have elapsed after the entry of any since the final discharge of the person from legal custody or supervision or three years have elapsed after the entry of any other court order not involving custody or supervision, except that periods of post-incarceration supervision pursuant to section 25 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-44), shall not be considered in calculating the 3 year period N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-4.1(b).
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Records relating to only one adjudication that would have constituted a disorderly or petty disorderly persons offense if committed by an adult can be expunged upon petition, so long as the person is not subject to a disqualifying event. N.J. Stat. § 2C:52-4.1(a)(2).
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Law Enforcement Records
Records relating to an arrest for which charges were not filed can be expunged upon petition any time following the decision not to charge the person. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:52-4.1(b)(5).
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Find A Lawyer
Legal service providers located in the state.
Contact information for legal aid organizations, bar associations, and other organizations that engage in record clearance work is provided for informational purposes only. The NRRC does not endorse or recommend any organization or individual referenced on the site. If you are a legal service provider who offers record clearance services, please contact us.
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