adult expungement in delaware
Too many Delawareans struggle to secure jobs, housing and higher education due to isolated run-ins with the criminal justice system. To address this need, I sponsored the Adult Expungement Reform Act (Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 37), which the General Assembly passed in June 2019. This act expands eligibility for expungement, a process in which qualifying criminal records can be wiped clean without a pardon. In some cases, the expungement will be mandatory, while in others the expungement is at the discretion of the courts. I hope that the highlighted resources below will help you understand and begin the expungement process.
Getting your record expunged starts here
Compiling your necessary information is the first step towards expungement. The resources below link relevant agencies and organizations to help you start the expungement process. Expungement requires close participation with several state agencies (Board of Pardons, State Bureau of Identification, and others). This process may sound daunting, but there are programs to help you along the way including the APEX Program, Offense of Defense Services, and others.
Start here and, if you still have questions, contact my office so we can connect you to the right info to move forward:
Start here and, if you still have questions, contact my office so we can connect you to the right info to move forward:
- Advancement through Pardons and Expungements (APEX) will guide you through the process, assist with obtaining documents and completing paperwork, and be your go-to resource for expungement help.
- The Office of Defense Services (ODS) handles juvenile expungements and is a helpful resource for a wide range of indigent defense needs.
- The Delaware Courts have centralized their expungement forms and services at this Expungement page. To begin your paperwork, click here.
- If you are, instead, seeking a pardon, that process begins here. To learn more about the difference between a pardon and an expungement, check out the APEX program.
- The Delaware State Police maintain a catalog that will direct you to the required State Bureau of Identification application forms.