- Locate Every Case on Your Record45 min
You cannot clear what you cannot name. A petition that covers only one of two cases leaves the other visible to employers forever, so build the list before touching a form. Write each entry as: case number, court, charge, disposition (conviction, dismissal, or nolle prosequi), and disposition date.
Search the county clerk's online case search first — many counties index cases by name for free. If nothing appears, call or visit the clerk's office of the county where you lived at the time and ask for a record search by name and birth date; some counties charge a small search fee. In most states a sealed, dismissed, or diverted case still exists on your list — include it even if the screen shows no public record.
Mark each entry with its type, because states treat them differently:
- Arrest without conviction — charges dropped, dismissed, or nolle prosequi. Often the easiest to clear, sometimes with no waiting period.
- Conviction — a guilty plea or verdict. Usually the strictest rules apply, and most states impose a waiting period.
- Deferred or diverted case — charges dismissed after completing a program. Not a conviction, but still on the record and worth clearing.
- Unknown or missing — note it and ask the clerk; a case you cannot identify will sink the petition later.
0/3 done