In this video, our Cook County expungement attorneys explain how expungement is the process of having your criminal records physically destroyed or returned to you and of removing the record from public view.  On the other hand, if your records are sealed, they are not physically destroyed.  However, sealed records are not obtainable without a court order and are removed from public view.  Neither expunged or sealed records are visible in criminal checks.  Employers may not consider expunged or sealed records in determining employment and may not ask an applicant if he or she has had records expunged or sealed. ​

In this article, our Cook County expungement lawyers explain how to request a copy of your criminal record and challenge that record. Illinois law enforcement and correctional facilities are required by law to facilitate requests to access and review criminal records. In order to request a correction or modification of your Illinois criminal record, you should fill out the Record Challenge form that is received from the Illinois State Police after submitting an Access and Review request and send it to the Illinois State Police.  The Illinois state police does not charge a fee for record challenges or access and review requests, but the local enforcement agency may charge a small fee for processing requests.    

In this video, our Elmhurst expungement lawyers discuss what type of marijuana drug charges can be expunged and how to do so. Under the new law some drug possession convictions will be automatically expunged. If you received a conviction for possession of up to 30 grams of cannabis and the conviction was not related to a more serious crime, your conviction is likely to be automatically pardoned and expunged from your record.  If you have a conviction for possession of between 30 and 500 grams of cannabis or possession of drug paraphernalia, your conviction will not be automatically expunged, but, beginning in 2020, you will have the opportunity to affirmatively petition the court to expunge the conviction.