Everything You Need To Know About Expunging & Sealing Records In Cook County

Criminal history records are public information in Illinois. Some employers, landlords, schools and other entities are legally able to make decisions based on a criminal history that includes convictions. The majority of adult criminal history records can be removed from public searches through either expungement or sealing. It is important to know that there is no automatic expungement of adult arrest or criminal court records in Illinois. Even if you were only arrested and never charged or your case was later dismissed or you were found not guilty, those records all exist until you actively seek to expunge them.

Under specific circumstances, Illinois law allows felony, misdemeanor, or municipal ordinance violation records in Criminal and Traffic cases to be expunged or sealed. If you qualify, your records will either be expunged or expunged and sealed by law enforcement agencies and will be sealed by the Clerk's Office. "Expunged"…