Under existing law, an individual charged or convicted of certain felony or misdemeanor criminal offenses, violations, traffic violations, and municipal ordinances may petition the court in which the charges were filed or the convictions occurred to have his or her records expunged, including, but not limited to, arrest records, palmprints, fingerprints, and index references in the documentary or electronic form. This bill provides that certain criminal convictions are automatically sealed only after an individual has satisfied his or her sentence and a required period of time has passed within which the individual has not been convicted of any additional criminal offenses. This bill provides exceptions to when an individual's sealed criminal conviction may be disclosed, to whom, and under what circumstances. This bill also requires the Administrative Office of Courts to develop, support, house, and maintain a system that automatically seals eligible conviction records.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 41-9-590