Erasure of Criminal Records

Connecticut Criminal Record Erasure

Erasure of Connecticut criminal records results in the physical destruction of all records of a crime. If your entire Connecticut criminal record has been erased, you may swear under oath that you have never been arrested or convicted of a crime in Connecticut.

What is a Motion for Erasure of Criminal Records?

One way to expunge a criminal record in Connecticut is by a motion for erasure. A motion for erasure of a Connecticut criminal record must be properly prepared, filed, and argued in the superior court where you were convicted. Motions for erasure only apply to certain very limited circumstances. They will not help most people who are seeking expungement of their entire Connecticut criminal record.

Are you eligible for a motion for erasure?

If the prosecutor entered a nolle prosequi to dispose of your entire case, the record of the charges in that case should be automatically erased 13 months later. If, for some reason, the charges were not automatically erased, a motion to erase could be filed to expunge those charges.

Also, if you were:

• found not guilty after trial or had the charges against you dismissed by a judge; or,
• convicted of charges that have since been decriminalized;

a motion for erasure of those criminal charges could be filed to expunge them. If you have no other criminal conviction record, a motion to erase may be all you need to expunge your Connecticut criminal record.

Will a motion for erasure expunge your entire Connecticut criminal record?

If your entire Connecticut criminal record fits into one or more of the specific circumstances listed above, if granted, a motion for erasure would clear your record. If you want to erase your entire Connecticut criminal record, you will need a pardon. To learn about pardon applications click here. If your entire Connecticut criminal record doesn’t fit into one or more of the specific circumstances listed above, a motion for erasure may be used to expunge some but not all of your Connecticut criminal records.

The Law Office of Jerome Paun can help you decide if a pardon application should be prepared and filed or whether an erasure motion would be sufficient for your needs. In either event, we can help prepare and file whichever you need. We can present your case in a way that improves your chances of your motion or application being granted. Call or email us to learn how we can help you in a free consultation with expungement attorney Jerome Paun.