Expungement Petition

---
name: expungement-petition
language: en
description: Drafts jurisdiction-specific petitions for expungement or sealing of criminal records. Covers caption construction, statutory eligibility analysis, rehabilitation narratives, and prayer for relief. Use when drafting expungement petitions, record-sealing motions, set-aside petitions, or certificates of rehabilitation in post-conviction proceedings.
tags:
  - drafting
  - litigation
  - pleading
---

# Expungement Petition

Drafts a petition for expungement or sealing of criminal records satisfying jurisdiction-specific statutory requirements.

## Prerequisites

Before drafting, collect and confirm:

- **Jurisdiction** — state/county, controlling statute, local court rules/formatting
- **Criminal records** — per incident: arrest date, agency, charges (common name + citation), case/docket number, court, disposition, sentence, completion date
- **Petitioner ID** — full legal name (as in criminal proceedings), DOB, address, name changes
- **Eligibility** — waiting periods satisfied, offense category eligible, no statutory disqualifiers
- **Rehabilitation evidence** — employment, education, community involvement, treatment, character references

## Quick Start

1. Confirm jurisdiction's terminology (expungement / sealing / set-aside / certificate of rehabilitation) — use it consistently throughout
2. Verify statutory eligibility using the checklist in §4 below
3. Draft sections 1–7 in order
4. Mark uncertain citations with `[VERIFY]`

## Petition Structure

### 1. Court Caption

| Element | Requirements |
|---------|-------------|
| Court name | Full legal name, county/district, state |
| Case number | Original criminal case number; "to be assigned" if new civil petition |
| Petitioner name | As in criminal proceedings; aliases parenthetical |
| Document title | Jurisdiction-appropriate ("Petition for Expungement," "Motion to Seal," etc.) |
| Formatting | Per local rules: font, margins, line spacing, page numbering |

### 2. Petitioner Identification & Standing

- Full legal name, address, DOB, contact information
- Name change explanation if applicable
- Residency status and duration
- Statement confirming identity as the individual in the criminal matter
- Flag if identifying info should be filed under seal per local rules

### 3. Records Sought

Present each record chronologically:

| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| Date of arrest | Exact date |
| Arresting agency | Full name |
| Charges filed | Common name + statutory citation |
| Court / Case no. | Court name + docket number |
| Disposition | Dismissed (with/without prejudice), plea, trial conviction |
| Sentence | Sentence imposed, completion date, probation/parole details |
| Post-conviction relief | Modifications or early termination already granted |

Check whether multiple cases require a single petition or separate filings under local rules.

### 4. Legal Grounds & Statutory Eligibility

Structure as a checklist against the controlling statute: