The Clean Slate Law uses technology to seal certain criminal records from public view.
Arrest records are eligible for sealing if Police drop charges. Minor conviction records are eligible for sealing after 10 years.
The Clean Slate program will automatically hide criminal history records from public view if the person has no convictions for crimes punishable by a year or more in prison, and has completed all court-ordered obligations, for 10 years. These records will still be accessible to law enforcement and judicial officers.
Automated sealing began on June 28, 2019. The state has sealed over 30 million cases to date. This occurs without the cost of filing petitions in court. Did you know… that’s more than half of the charges in the court’s database.
According to a recent study, only 6.5% of people are eligible for record clearing filed petitions.
Automated sealing addresses this “second chance gap” by sealing records when people don’t have access to lawyers, can’t afford filing fees or don’t know their record is eligible.
If police accused you of a crime that didnt lead to a conviction, they could wipe your record clean.
So when you interview with a prospective employer, you can say “I don’t have a criminal record,” because you don’t — it’s gone from public view.
Before the law took effect if a person applied for a job, the employer could go online and look up one’s criminal records and they can use that information — for convictions, for misdemeanors and felonies — to determine if they’re going to hire them.
How is Clean Slate different from an Expungment?
Expungement is the only mechanism to permanently and completely remove criminal history record information.
Expungment is available only when,
- The court has not disposed of your case within 18 months of arrest,
- the is a not guilty or dismissal of the charges, or
- Underage Drinking convictions
Contact one of our expungement lawyers to find out if you qualify for expungement.
Who does the clean slate law apply to?
Those with summary offenses, non-violent misdemeanors, or crimes that did not result in conviction will be sealed automatically under the law.
Check out my clean slate pa for more information about the types of convictions that can be expunged. The Chart below will explain if you qualify. Contact our expungement lawyer today for a free consultation.
Pennsylvania is sealing 30 million criminal records as part of Clean Slate law
Limited Access Petitions & Clean Slate Limited Access
