If you have conviction sealed or expunged, how long does it take before it will not show up on searches?

Answer 1

Spock is right ... even though a record may be expunged or sealed the original record of the crime is still accessible. This is because expungement and/or sealing cannot go back and erase all information from the criminal record in question. The day criminal charges were filed there will be a record in the courts office that on such-and-such a day so-and-so was convicted/charged of *blank* crime ... nothing can erase that information.

What expungement and sealing does is give the right to the person who was convicted of a particular offense to omit said conviction on most employment applications, licensing boards, and in most legal matters -- in a legal standpoint that conviction can never be used against you, even though there is still a technical record of it. Also, it prohibits anyone from viewing the records of that conviction without the permission of the court (which would only happen in exigent circumstances). All criminal records are public property and be accessed by anyone ... what expungement/sealing does is deny access to the public to certain records.

Most times the expungement/sealing will take effect anywhere from immediately to several weeks after notice has been given granting said status. If you want to verify that your record has been sealed you can go to the court's clerk office and ask if it has been sealed.

Answer 2

given modern technology -- it'll be found forever because the original records were noted by search engines which no longer access the real dbs when they check.

Answer 3

7 years, my best friend had this happen.