How to Expunge an Adult Criminal Record in New Jersey

An expungement removes all records on file pertaining to your conviction or arrest.

A criminal record can make obtaining a job or renting an apartment difficult. Thus, expunging your criminal record provides you with a fresh start. New Jersey allows you to eliminate any court, correctional facility or detention records concerning your arrest and/ or criminal conviction as long as you meet eligibility requirements. You must, however, complete the expungement process. For example, the New Jersey Judiciary suggests that you review the state law N.J.S.A. 2C:52-1 to N.J.S.A. 2C:52-32 to make sure you're eligible. Crimes which do not meet eligibility requirements include criminal homicide, kidnapping, human trafficking and criminal sexual contact .

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Obtain criminal records. You can contact the lawyer who handled your case or the county's Superior Court Criminal Case Management Office where you were arrested or convicted. You need information, such as your arrest date, docket number, date of disposition and sentence to prepare the expungement petition.

2. Complete Forms A to D. The Petition for Expungement (Form A) formally requests an expungement order. Completing the Order for Hearing, or Form B, allows the judge to schedule a hearing in 35 to 60 days after receiving your petition. Form C -- also called an Expungement Order -- must be filled out, but is only signed by the judge if the expungement is granted. Form D indicates that the forms are an expungement petition.

3. Send copies of the original forms to the Superior Court Criminal Case Management Office. You must include a certified check or money order written out to the Treasurer, State of New Jersey.

4. Mail copies of the filed petition. Once you receive the petition mailed back to you marked "filed" and with a docket number, you must send copies of the petition certified mail -- with a return receipt -- to the agencies involved in your case, such as the county prosecutor, police department's expungement unit and New Jersey attorney general.

5. Attend the scheduled expungement hearing. The judge may ask you some questions, if there's opposition to the expungement from the police or prosecutor.

6. Distribute the signed Expungement Order to government agencies. Typically, these are the same agencies you sent the copies of the filed forms.

Tips & Warnings

• As of 2009, the expungement filing fee was $52.50, according to the New Jersey Judiciary.

• You have approximately seven days from the time you receive the filed copies from the court to send them to government agencies.

References

• New Jersey Judiciary: How to Expunge Your Criminal and/or Juvenile Record
• Nolo Press: Expungement of Criminal Records: The Basics
• NJExpungement.com: New Jersey Expungement Statutes